Taylor, Robert P. (Robert Preston), 1909-1997

Robert Preston Taylor (1909-1997) served as a career Chaplain the U.S. Air Force for twenty six years. He was born in Henderson, Texas, and prior to entering military service, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, a Master of Theology degree from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Doctor of Theology degree from Southwestern in 1939. He also served as the Pastor of the South Fort Worth Baptist Church. Upon entering the military in September, 1940, his first assignment was as a Post Chaplain at Barksdale Field, Louisiana, with the rank of First Lieutenant. He was next assigned to the 31st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Division. He served in Manila until the U.S. entered the war in the Pacific, and his division was then transferred to the Peninsula of Bataan. When American forces surrendered there, Taylor was among thousands who undertook the Bataan Death March and was forced into Japanese Labor Camps as a Prisoner of War. He served as a Chaplain at the prison camp hospital at Cabanatuan, ministering to over 10,000 other military and civilian prisoners. He was sentenced to 14 months of solitary confinement for smuggling food and medicine to other prisoners. He was later taken to Japan and Manchuria on a "hellship" that fell victim to American bombing raids. Taylor sustained several injuries during these incidents. In total, Taylor spent 42 months in Japanese prison camps. After the war, in January, 1946, Taylor returned to Barksdale Field and served as Deputy Staff Chaplain, Headquarters Army Air Forces Training Command. He served as Chaplain at a variety of bases and assignments until 1957, when he was appointed Chief of the Personnel Division, Office of the Chief of Air Force Chaplains. On July 1, 1958, he achieved the rank of Brigadier General and was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of Air Force Chaplains, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. By 1962, he had achieved the rank of Major General, and took over the duties of the Chief of Chaplains, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. He retired from military service on August 1, 1966. Major General Taylor died on February 1, 1997. His career decorations included the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Presidential Unit Citation with two oak leaf clusters. Throughout his career, he received several honorary degrees, including: an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Atlanta Law School, Atlanta, Ga., June 1, 1961; an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Tarkio College, Tarkio, Mo., April 15, 1963; an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Baylor University, Waco, Texas, May 24, 1963; and an honorary Doctor of Humanities, College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, College Clinic, College Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa, June 4, 1965. He was also elected "Distinguished Alumni of Southwestern Seminary for the Year of 1965" on June 2, 1965.