More detail on this person: USA Army Colonel
Robert Erbe passed away on April 19, 2014 at
home surrounded by his loving family. Bob was born
and raised in the Panama Canal Zone where his
father was a special assistant to the governor.
Bob was the fourth son of five boys of Ernest and
Ruth Gardiner Erbe. After graduating high school
Bob joined the Navy V5 program. While in that
program Bob received a senatorial appointment to
the US Military Academy at West Point. He
graduated with the class of 1949. He married his
sweetheart, a New York girl, Rosemary Ryan, who
proved to be an ideal Army wife and mother. Bob
and Rosemary had various assignments in the
United States including Hawaii as well as overseas
tours in Germany, France, Pakistan and Vietnam.
His two children Diane and Mark were born in
Germany. Upon their return from Germany Bob was
selected to do his graduate work at the University
of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he earned his
Master of Science and Engineering degree. Bob
volunteered for the US Army Aviation Program.
After flight training Bob was certified to fly
Army helicopters and planes. Following flight
school he was chosen for the Command General
Staff College. His next tour was in Karachi,
Pakistan with the U.S. Military Advisor Group. The
next three years were spent with the Army General
Staff at the Pentagon followed by a battalion
command assignment in Vietnam where Bob was
awarded his first of three Legion of Merits and an
Air Medal. It was then back to Germany for another
tour of duty. From Germany to Newport, Rhode
Island to attend The U.S. Naval War College. He
returned to Vietnam for another command
assignment. Vietnam was followed by a four-year
tour in Hawaii, while there he earned his
professional registration in both civil and
structural engineering in Hawaii, Florida and
Arizona. His last assignment was Fort Sam
Houston, Texas. After twenty-nine years of
military service, thirty-seven moves and numerous
awards, medals, badges, commendations and a
campaign ribbon for his services, Bob and
Rosemary retired from the Army. Shortly there
after Bob joined Greiner Engineering Sciences
working as a project engineer. In 1990 Bob and
Rosemary moved to Sun City West and settled
down to retirement living for fourteen happy years
before moving to their final home at Heritage
Palmras in Sun City. Bob is survived by Rosemary
his wife of 64 years, his daughter Diane Ryan
Hollinger (Bob) of Scottsdale AZ, his son Mark
(Sue) of Falls Church, VA. He is predeceased by
three brothers, Phillip, Richard, and Lawrence. He
is survived by one brother, Alan (Anna) in El
Paso, Texas. Funeral services will be in Arlington
National Cemetery with full military honors. Bob
was a devoted husband, loving father, dear friend,
and a loyal and good soldier. Duty, Honor,
Country.
Published in The Arizona Republic on May 4, 2014
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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