134th Infantry Regiment Website "All Hell Can't Stop Us"

Sgt Robert D Tester

Company I - 320th Infantry Regiment

Robert Denton Tester, son of Millard Franklin and Eliza Catherine (Walker) Tester, was born December 25, 1910 in Butler, Tennessee. He registered for the draft October 16, 1940. At that time he was living in Mount Morris, Illinois. He was inducted into the Army February 12, 1941 at Chicago, Illinois and originally served in the 131st Infantry at Fort Brady, Michigan. Fort Brady is located at Sault Sainte Marie and the 131st Infantry was stationed there to guard the Soo Locks, a busy shipping channel. He was transferred from the 131st Infantry at Fort Brady and joined Company I, 320th Infantry Regiment on January 26, 1943 at Camp San Louis Obispo, California. Seven months later, on August 23, 1943, he was transferred from the 320th Infantry Regiment, then stationed at Camp Rucker, Alabama, to the Shenago Personnel Replacement Depot, later renamed Camp Reynolds, at Transfer, Pennsylvania.

Sgt Robert D Tester was killed aboard the troopship HMT Rohna off the coast of Bougie, Algeria when it was struck by a German guided missile on November 26, 1943. Originally reported missing, he was later confirmed killed in action when his body washed ashore. Although Sgt Tester was assigned to a replacement detachment at the time of his death, he had not yet received a permanent assignment and is recorded as a 320th Infantry Regiment war casualty. He was originally interred at the U.S. Military Cemetery at El Alia, Algeria. At his mother's request was reinterred and is now buried next to two of his brothers at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium.