Early U.S. Army Career
Robert G. Cole was born at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas, to Colonel Clarence F. Cole, an Army doctor, and Clara H. Cole on April 17, 1915. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1933 and joined the United States Army on July 1, 1934. On June 26, 1935, he was honorably discharged to accept an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Cole graduated with the class of 1939 and returned home to marry Allie Mae Wilson. He was appointed a second lieutenant to the 15th Infantry at Fort Lewis, Washington in 1939, and remained there until his transfer to the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1941. In March 1941, he earned his jump wings. Rapidly advancing through the ranks at Fort Benning as the parachute infantry battalions were expanded to regiments, he was a lieutenant colonel commanding the 3rd Battalion of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment on June 6, 1944, the date of his unit's first combat jump.
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