Robert was born in Eastland, Texas on January 4, 1925 and graduated from Brownwood High School.  Robert's experiences of growing up in Brownwood, Texas were documented by his boyhood friend John Eugene Clardy in the book titled "Confessions of the Willis Creek Gang."

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served aboard the USS Makassar Strait (CVE-91) in the attached Squadron VC-97.  He was the rear gunner on a Grumman TBM Avenger and killed in action while flying a bombing mission over Ishigaki.

The Bilingual Memorial Monument on Ishigaki Island is dedicated to Robert Tuggle Jr., AOM 1/c;
LT.Vernon Tebo and Warren Loyd ARM 1/c.  These three airmen of Squadron VC-97 were shot down over Ishigaki on April 15, 1945.

Left to right:  ARM 1/c  Warren Loyd;  LT. Vernon Tebo;  AOM 1/c Robert Tuggle, Jr.

Robert Tuggle, Jr. AOM 1/c in the ball turret of his TBM Avenger.