Pictures of George Brainard and Robert Brainard

by Louis John Brainard on 18 June 2013

I just wanted to see if my Grandfather might be in this list of "Robert Brainards" Well, sure enough, here he is - center is Robert "Bob" Francis Brainard. This picture is like 50 years old. This Robert Brainard proudly served his country for 40 years. An enlisted man in the Navy during World War II, he served as a beach master leader, setting up signal positions on South Pacific Beaches the night before invasions. He was awarded a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge. After the War he joined the Oregon National Guard and quickly received a direct commission as an officer. He was soon a Company Commander. He transferred to the California National Guard in 1959 and assumed various commands. He ran the Officer Candidate School. He was a commander of troops activated to police the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965. In 1968 he led the only National Guard Unit mobilized to fight in Viet Nam, where he served with distinction. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Vietnamese Medal of Honor. In 1977, After promotion to Brigadier General, he commanded one of two armies in the largest United States military joint training exercises ever conducted to prepare for desert warfare in the Middle East. He passed away Oct 23rd 2005,age 83.