David B. Robinson

Born in Alexandria, Louisiana and raised in Denton, Texas, Robinson graduated from Denton Senior High School in 1958. He then studied at Texas A&M University for one year before being appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1959. Robinson graduated in June 1963 with a B.S. degree in naval science. He later earned an M.S. degree in oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School in October 1969.{{cite news |title=Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, First Session, 103d Congress: Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate |volume=103 |issue=414 |pages=453–455 |date=1994 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-0160436116}}{{cite book |url=https://ia600306.us.archive.org/18/items/luckybag1963unse/luckybag1963unse.pdf |title=Lucky Bag |date=1963 |page=276 |publisher=U.S. Naval Academy |location=Annapolis, Maryland |access-date=2022-02-22}}{{cite book |title=The 1958 Bronco |page=42 |publisher=Denton Senior High School}}{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dqCWy9A-KFIC&pg=PA315 |title=Keepers of the Spirit: The Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, 1876-2001 |chapter=Appendix IV: General and Flag Officers, Texas A&M |first=John A. |last=Adams |date=2001 |page=315 |publisher=Texas A&M University Press |isbn=978-1585441266 |access-date=2022-02-22}}{{cite book |url=https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/41182/1969-10%20Graduation%20Exercises.pdf |title=Naval Postgraduate School Commencement Exercises |chapter=Master of Science in Oceanography |date=1 October 1969 |publisher=Naval Postgraduate School |location=Monterey, California |access-date=2022-02-22}} His thesis was entitled Seiching in Monterey Bay.{{cite thesis |url=https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/13006/seichinginmonter00robi.pdf |title=Seiching in Monterey Bay |first=David Brooks |last=Robinson |date=October 1969 |publisher=Naval Postgraduate School |location=Monterey, California |access-date=2022-02-22}}

A career surface warfare officer, Robinson commanded the patrol gunboats {{USS|Canon|PG-90|6}} from November 1969 to March 1971 and {{USS|Ready|PG-87|6}} from March 1971 to September 1971 in South Vietnam. During a patrol mission up the Bồ Đề River on 11 August 1970, Canon came under simultaneous fire from enemy forces concealed on both shores. Despite a broken leg and shrapnel wounds from a rocket explosion, Robinson directed return fire until the attack was suppressed. He then remained at his post strapped to a upright stretcher until Canon was safely moored at a forward base upstream. Robinson was subsequently awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/4476 |title=David Brooks Robinson |website=Military Times |publisher=Sightline Media Group |access-date=2022-02-22}}

Robinson served as the executive officer of the guided missile destroyer {{USS|Dale|DLG-19|6}} from October 1974 to April 1976. He then served as the commanding officer of the guided missile destroyer {{USS|Luce|DDG-38|6}} from April 1976 to July 1978. Robinson later served as the commanding officer of the guided missile cruiser USS Richmond K. Turner from January 1983 to July 1984.

As a flag officer, Robinson commanded Cruiser Destroyer Group 8 from July 1988 to August 1989. He then served as Vice Director and Director for Operational Plans and Interoperability on the Joint Staff from September 1989 to December 1991, which included Pentagon oversight and analysis of Gulf War operations. Robinson next became Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Staff for the U.S. Pacific Fleet in January 1992.

In April 1993, Robinson was promoted to vice admiral and assumed command of the Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=CE19930414.2.40&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 |title=VADM Robinson Heads Pacific Surface Fleet |date=14 April 1993 |volume=4 |issue=15 |page=9 |newspaper=Coronado Eagle |access-date=2022-02-22}}

Robinson married Juliet Gene Kirkpatrick (22 March 1940 – 12 October 2005) on 1 August 1964 in Denton, Texas. They have two sons and five grandchildren.{{cite news |title=Marriage Record |date=21 August 1964 |issue=19071 |publisher=The State of Texas, County of Denton}}{{cite news |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/gene-robinson-obituary?id=5544877 |title=Gene Kirkpatrick Robinson |date=22 October 2005 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2022-02-28}}{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CghSb2JpbnNvbhIER2VuZRoBSw--/ |title=Robinson, Gene K |website=ANCExplorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=2022-02-28}}

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, David Brooks}}

Category:1939 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Alexandria, Louisiana

Category:People from Denton, Texas

Category:Texas A&M University alumni

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni

Category:United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War

Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)

Category:United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War

Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:United States Navy admirals

Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

{{US-navy-bio-stub}}