Robert H. Bingham – Colonel, United States Army

by

From a contemporary press report:

Robert H. Bingham, 80, a retired Army colonel who was a decorated veteran of two wars and a specialist in guided missiles, died of pulmonary fibrosis May 3, 1999 at his home in Bethesda, Maryland.

Colonel Bingham was born in Washington and raised in Sanbornton, New Hampshire. He graduated from Yale University in 1941 and was commissioned in the Army through the Reserve Officers Training Corps.

In World War II, he was an artillery officer in the 9th Infantry Division in North Africa and Europe.

His decorations from that conflict included two awards of the Silver Star for gallantry and two awards of the Bronze Star with combat “V.” During the Korean War, Col. Bingham commanded a field artillery battalion in the 3rd Infantry Division.

His peacetime assignments included a tour of duty at NATO headquarters in Paris, where he was military assistant to the scientific adviser, and several tours of duty in Washington.

Among them was a period as chief of the programs branch in the office of the director of the Research and Development Department of the Army. In that capacity, he was a member of the planning staff that established the Army Materiel Command.

Colonel Bingham later was chief of the test and evaluation branch of the Research and Development Department.

In the late 1960s, Colonel Bingham went to Canada as a representative of the director of Army research and development.

His last assignment was again in Washington, where he helped establish the Joint Continental Defense Systems Integration Planning Staff and then served as chief of the Ballistic Missile Defense Division.

Colonel Bingham was a graduate of the Army’s Guided Missile School at Fort Bliss, Texas; the advanced artillery course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk.

He retired from the Army in 1972 and for the next 10 years worked for Electronic Data Systems as a senior research analyst.

In addition to the Silver and Bronze stars, Colonel Bingham’s military decorations included two awards of the Legion of Merit and the Army Commendation Medal.

Colonel Bingham, who lived in Bethesda, had maintained a residence in the Washington area since the 1950s.

He also had a residence in Bristol, New Hampshire.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, the former Martha Jane Tidball, and two children, David A. Bingham and Barbara A. Bingham, all of Bethesda; and three grandchildren.

BINGHAM, ROBERT H., COLONEL (Ret.)

On Monday, May 3, 1999, COL. ROBERT H. BINGHAM (Ret.), of Bethesda, MD. Beloved husband of Martha Jane Tidball; father of David A. Bingham and Barbara A. Bingham. He is also survived by three grandchildren. Services will be held on Tuesday, May 18, 1999 at 11 a.m. at the Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington National Cemetery. Interment Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Women’s Auxiliary, Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving St., NW, Washington, DC 20010.

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment