Walter G. Robinson

Walter G. Robinson (11 April 1879 – 25 January 1940) was an engineer, businessman, and National Guard officer from New York. A veteran of the Mexican Border War, World War I, and Occupation of the Rhineland, he attained the rank of major general while serving as Adjutant General of New York, a position he held from 1934 until his death in 1940.

A native of Auburn, New York, Robinson received his CE degree from Cornell University in 1900 and worked for his family's memorial and monument business until 1906. After working on expansion of the New York State Canal System, Robinson moved to Schenectady, New York, where he became part owner of a coal retailer, worked as deputy director of the state public works department, and as Schenectady's commissioner of public works.

Robinson began his military career in 1907 as a first lieutenant in the New York National Guard's 36th Separate Company. He went on to command the company after its reorganization as Company E, 2nd Infantry Regiment. After promotion to major, he served with the regiment during the Mexican Border War. The regiment was federalized for World War I as the 105th Infantry Regiment, and Robinson served with the organization until transfer to the 1st Pioneer Infantry Regiment. Robinson took part in the major campaigns of 1918 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel shortly after the end of the war. He remained in France after the Armistice of November 11, 1918 and took part in the Occupation of the Rhineland.

Following his wartime service, Robinson assisted in reorganizing the 105th Infantry Regiment, and went on to command two of its battalions. In 1926, he was promoted to colonel and assigned as regimental commander. While commanding the regiment, he was also appointed as the New York National Guard's assistant adjutant general, and he served in both these posts until 1934. In December 1934, he was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as New York's Adjutant General. He was promoted to major general in January 1940, and died two weeks later. Robinson was buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.

Early life and civilian career Walter George Robinson was born in Auburn, New York on 11 April 1879, a son of Walter G. Robinson and Mary T. (Keiser) Robinson. The senior Walter G. Robinson was a sculptor who owned a monument and memorial business, and his works included the monument to William H. Seward at Seward Park in Auburn, the statue of Christ on the Paul Cook Woodruff Monument at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, and the monument at the Fort Hill Cemetery grave of Myles Keogh. After college, Robinson worked for the family business; after his father's 1906 death, Robinson and his brother continued it for several years. In 1907, he married Mary A. Moxley; they were married until his death and had no children. In 1911, he was appointed as the state's deputy director of public works. In December 1911, he was promoted to captain as commander of the company, which had been reorganized as Company E, 2nd Infantry Regiment. The 1st Pioneers arrived in France in July 1918, and Robinson participated in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, Oise–Aisne offensive, and Meuse–Argonne offensive. In July 1926, Robinson was severely injured when his horse reared during training exercises at Camp Smith. Doctors initially feared he was near death, but he made a full recovery after several weeks of convalescence at Camp Smith's hospital and the United States Military Academy Hospital, then at home.

Robinson completed the adjutant general's course at the United States Army War College in 1927. He was buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. He was succeeded as adjutant general by Ames T. Brown.

Dates of rank Robinson's dates of rank were:

First Lieutenant (National Guard), 13 December 1907 Captain (National Guard), 11 December 2011 Major (National Guard), 30 March 1915 Major (National Army), 5 August 1917 Lieutenant Colonel (Army of the United States), 30 December 1918 Lieutenant Colonel (Reserve List), 24 December 1920 Major (National Guard), 16 June 1921 Lieutenant Colonel (National Guard), 5 March 1926 Colonel (National Guard), 7 July 1926 Brigadier General (National Guard), 11 December 1934 Major General (National Guard), 10 January 1940