Robinson E. Bridges

Robinson E. Bridges, Lt. Col. Ret. U.S. Army, 85, of Beth Sholom Gardens in Richmond, formerly of Littleton, N.C. and Prince George, Va. died on December 16, 2003. Born August 27, 1918 in Wilmington, Del. Preceded in death by his daughter, Beryl Ann Bridges. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years Eleanor S. (Shorty) Bridges, of Richmond, Va.; a son, Robinson E. Bridges Jr. and his wife, Claudia of Maidens, Va.; and three grandchildren, Robinson E. Bridges III, of Prince George, Va. and Tyler Dulong and Megan Dulong of Maidens, Va. He was a member of Royal Hart Lodge #497 AF & AM of Littleton N.C, Powhatan Starke Lodge #124 AF & AM of Petersburg, Va., Lafayette Lodge #14 AF & AM of Wilmington, Del., Scottish Rite Bodies and Acca Temple Shrine, and was a member of Littleton United Methodist Church of Littleton, N.C. A former professional acrobat, AAU swimmer and diver, and was a past president of the Massachusetts Rifle & Pistol Association. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he enlisted in the Army at age 22 and worked his way up to the rank of Lt. Colonel. During his career he served as Commander of the joint US and Canadian Quartermaster Arctic Test Team in Hudson Bay, Northwest Territories, Canada, testing military clothing and equipment. He was a graduate of the University of Alaska Arctic School, and was assigned to the Quartermaster Research & Development Laboratories at Natick, Mass. He was a Veteran of WWII and the Korean conflict, and served as a Cryptographic Officer at the Pentagon and during WWII as Supply Officer in the Philippine Islands. He served in Germany and also with the Army Security Agency in Ethiopia, Africa. He was the recipient of numerous awards and commendations. He served as the Quartermaster Research laboratory liaison officer at the Defense General Supply Center in Richmond, Va. at the time of his military retirement and then served as Chief Plans Officer for the General Equipment Test Activity at Fort Lee, Va. before moving to Lake Gaston, N.C. in 1977. Services private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Littleton United Methodist Church, Littleton, N.C. Parham Chapel, Woodys Funeral Home, assisting with arrangements.