page_title: Robert Halperin
section_title: Navy career
hierarchical_section_title: Robert Halperin / Navy career
caption_attribution_description: English: Order of the Cloud and Banner star
context_page_description: Robert Sherman "Bob" Halperin, nicknamed "Buck", was an American Star class sailor, and Olympic bronze medalist and Pan American Games gold medalist. He was also a college and National Football League football quarterback, one of Chicago's most-decorated World War II heroes, co-founder of Lands' End, and chairman of Commercial Light Company.
context_section_description: Halperin was one of Chicago`s most decorated sailors in World War II.
  He joined the United States Navy on March 19, 1942, ultimately rising to the level of lieutenant commander. He trained first under boxer Gene Tunney, and then in a top-secret program in 1942 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Little Creek, Virginia, along with fellow NFL football players Phil Bucklew and John Tripson and seven others who made up the first class of what became known as the Navy Scouts & Raiders, a predecessor of the Navy Seals.  The three former NFL players were among 1,000 NFL players who served in the military for the U.S. during World War II.  The job of the trainees was to locate designated landing beaches at night for amphibious landings, note any obstacles, and guide the attacking troops and their landing craft.
  War correspondent William H. Stoneman wrote of Halperin, "His job is to mark beaches for the assault, infantry, a daring, intricate job, calling for as much brain as courage, and barrels of both." He was in charge of 14 scout boats, the first to arrive in France in the Normandy landings. Halperin saw action in Sicily, Italy, Europe (including during D-Day), North Africa, and the Pacific.
  He was decorated for gallantry with the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and two Bronze Stars, as well as the highest honor of the Nationalist Chinese government.
  In the North Africa invasion in November 1942, he sailed his scout ship from seven miles off-shore in complete darkness to French Morocco, located and marked landing beaches with landing signals, guided assault troops to their targets while being strafed by enemy planes, and became the first American in the invasion to capture two of the enemy when he personally captured two officers.  In recognition of his efforts, including his extraordinary heroism, skill, courage, and fearless devotion to duty, he received a presidential citation and the Navy Cross.
  He was promoted to lieutenant commander for his actions in the assault on Scoglitti on the southeastern coast of Sicily in July–August 1943.
  During the Normandy Invasion of the Cherbourg Peninsula, in June 1944 he guided the first two waves of assault troops to the assault beaches, against entrenched strong opposition, and saved two men from drowning. The Chicago Tribune notes he was "one of the first Americans to go ashore in France—perhaps, the first—on D-Day."  For his exceptionally meritorious performance of duty, and his "cool judgment and unusual ability", he was awarded a Bronze Star.
  He was commanding officer of U.S. Naval Unit Six, from December 1944 to September 1945, in secret guerrilla action against the Japanese behind enemy lines in Fukien Province, China.  During that time, his team of Americans trained 2,500 Chinese guerrillas to fight the Japanese, planned and executed operations resulting in the killing of 1,300 enemy troops and the destruction of tons of their shipping, and he assisted in the rescue of 16 U.S. fliers.  While out-numbered and facing an enemy with superior equipment, he attacked the enemy with ambushes and in pitched battles, significantly depleting their forces.  He was located in Chongqing, Kunming, Camp 6, Hua'an, Zhangzhou, Gulangyu, and Shanghai.  He was granted a Gold Medal in lieu of a second Bronze Medal, for "distinguishing himself by exceptionally meritorious conduct.  For distinguishing himself "by gallantry and intrepidity", he was awarded a Silver Star.  In addition, the Nationalist Chinese government awarded him the Yun Hui "Cloud Banner", its highest honor.
caption: Cloud Banner
exif: {}