Austin, Robert, “Austin, Robert (Interview transcript and video), 2008,” Digital Collections, accessed December 5, 2025, https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/document/27084.
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Austin, Robert (Interview transcript and video), 2008
Robert Austin was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and grew up on a farm. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in June, 1941 and trained first for the Marine Air Corps and then for the Marine Paratroopers. He eventually was assigned to the 5th Marine Division and was in the first wave of the landing on Iwo Jima. He was wounded soon after the landing and spent the rest of the war in hospitals. He re-enlisted after the war and played on a Marine baseball team prior to being discharged.