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Cpl Robert J. Veasey volunteered for the Army of the United States in New York City, New York on 21 November 1942.

In early September 1944 Cpl Robert J. Veasey put in for leave with the stated intention of visiting his sister’s boyfriend, Sg. Merle Beach wh served with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The request was granted and Cpl Veasey was soon off to Nottingham where the 508th was based.

He reached the 508th’s base just before notification of the start of Operation Market Garden. When he found out about it, he told Sgt Beach that he would like to go along and experience some ground combat. Sgt Beach talked with 1st Lt Ralph DeWeese who said that if Cpl Veasey wanted to go along it was alright with him being the regiment was under strength due to casualties suffered in Normandy.

Sgt Beach drew weapons and equipment for Cpl Veasey and then put him through a crash course in infantry fighting and tactics. Being a rigger, he already knew how to make a parachute jump and landing.

Cpl Veasey jumped with the 508th and fought with them for several days. It was during an attack on Thornse Molen that Cpl Veasey was with Pvt Tom Beno. They were sheltered in a shell hole taking a break when a German artillery shell scored a direct hit on Cpl Veasey. His body was blown apart and Tom Beno was injured by shell, tissue, and bone fragments.

Being that he was not formally attached to the 508th there was no notification of his death. He had been formally listed as being AWOL on 19 September 1944 when he failed to return from leave and was later declared a deserter.

It was not until much later that Cpl Veasey’s story came to light and letters were written by many 508th PIR veterans to the War Department to clear his name and have him listed as killed in action.

It seems that Robert Veasey had dreams of going into combat and being a hero. The men of his squadron all said that he talked constantly of wanting to go into combat and he assured them that once there he would perform valorous deeds that would make his family proud of him.