#VeteranOfTheDay Robert Wayne Allen

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Corps Veteran Robert Wayne Allen. Robert served from 1965 to 1967 during the Vietnam War.

Robert joined the Marine Corps at the age of 18. After completing basic training, he attended combat engineer school at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. In the summer of 1966, he helped form the 3rd Bridge Company at Camp Pendleton, California, where he trained for jungle warfare and learned about the Vietnamese language and culture.

In September 1966, Robert’s company received orders to relieve the 1st Bridge Company in Vietnam. The 3rd Bridge Company traveled to Dong Ha, Vietnam, and built bridges with the 7th Engineer Battalion. He later transferred to a suburb west of De Nang with the A Company 7th Engineers.

Robert now belongs to the Marine Corps League and the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Thank you for your service, Robert!

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Graphic By Gavin Fukawa: Gavin Fukawa is a Political Science and International Affairs Major with a Japanese and Environmental Science Minor at Wake Forest University.