Robert Tyndall Robert Henry Tyndall ( 1877 – 1947 ) was a United States artillery officer in World War I , a Major General , and mayor of Indianapolis during World War II . Early career . Robert Tyndall was born in Indianapolis , the son of William Eddy and Alice ( Boyd ) Tyndall . In 1897 , Tyndall enlisted in Battery A of the Indiana National Guard . The Spanish - American War erupted the following year , and he served with the 27th Indiana Volunteers in Puerto Rico . Following the war , Tyndall engaged in a number of business ventures . In 1908 , he married Dean Spellman , a daughter of Samuel and Emma Spellman of Indianapolis . The couple had three children . During 1915 and 1916 , he served as president of the Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution . In 1916 he sold out to his business partner and rejoined the military . World War I . Tyndall served as a Major in command of a Battalion of the Indiana Field Artillery , which was at service on the Mexican border when the United States declared war on Germany in 1917 . As the United States mobilized for World War I , the Indiana Field Artillery became federalized as the 150th Field Artillery Regiment , and assigned to the 42nd Infantry " Rainbow " Division , which participated in several major battles in 1918 . Tyndall was promoted to Colonel in command of the entire regiment , which was issued French 155 millimeter cannons . The men referred to him simply as " Bob , " and generally admired him as an officer who started as a private and worked his way up through the ranks . Colonel Tyndall was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal , the Croix de guerre , and Légion d ' honneur . He served in the army of occupation in Germany until 1919 , where he suffered from a severe case of the flu . After recovering , Col . Tyndall rejoined the 150th and returned to the United States , where he was honorably discharged from active service in May 1919 . Tyndall returned to business , and served as Vice - President of the Fletcher American Bank from 1919 to 1925 . During those same years , he was national treasurer of the American Legion , and worked to establish the organization in Indianapolis . He would continue to work with several businesses in the following years . Major General Tyndall . Tyndall continued to serve as a colonel in the Field Artillery Officer ' s Reserve Corps . In 1923 , was put in command of the 38th Infantry " Cyclone " Division , and he was promoted to Major General on 29 October 1924 . In 1941 , Tyndall mobilized the 50 , 000 troops of the 38th Division at Camp Shelby , but was forced to retire when he turned sixty - four . Mayor Tyndall . Robert Tyndall , Republican , was elected Mayor of Indianapolis in 1942 , and served until his death in 1947 , at age 70 . His term is remembered for long - term planning to achieve grade separation , smoke abatement , revamping of the city ' s sewer and sanitation systems , and non - partisan administration of City Hospital . He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis . Tyndall Armory , in downtown Indianapolis , is named in honor of Robert Tyndall . The armory was the headquarters for the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from 1969 – 2011 , when it moved to a new facility at the former Fort Benjamin Harrison .