After he had been in bootcamp for 19 days, Robert wrote home to his younger brother, James "Chink" Bohnert, who was still too young to join the service. James was living with his parents in Perryville on Coina Street (later Edgemont Blvd) and joined the Navy one year after the card below was written.

"Pinckney" refers to the U.S.S. Pinckney, an evacuation transport ship used by the Navy in World War II. "Nassau" refers to the U.S.S. Nassau, a CVE-16 aircraft carrier. Espiritu Santo was an island in the New Hebrides used by American naval and air forces as a large military supply and support base, naval harbor and air field. Russells Islands are two small islands located 30 miles northwest of Guadalcanal. In March of 1943, the islands were occupied by U.S. troops as part of the Solomen Islands campaign. Efate Island was another significant military base during the war containing three airstrip facilities and naval anchorages.

From October 1 - 31, 1943, Robert was listed on the Muster Roll for the Marine Fighting Squadron 221, Marine Air Group (MAG) 24, 1st MAW (Marine Aircraft Wing) as a parachute rigger. At this time, the MAG-24 were on Efate in the New Hebrides, considered to be the "gateway to the Pacific conflict."

From January 1 - 31, 1944, Robert was found on the Muster Roll of the Aviation Training Squadron 132, MCAD (Marine Corps Air Depot) at Miramar, San Diego, California.

Although we currently have no records of where Robert served after January, 1944. We do know that he served on active duty in the Marine Corps until November 30, 1945. 

He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant, which is an equivalent in grade to a Gunnery Sergeant (E6). USMC Technical Sergeant was a rank used during World War II and discontinued in 1958 in favor of Gunnery Sergeant. 

While still in the Marine Corps, Robert married Sylvia Schumer, daughter of Arnold and Lorena (Meister) Schumer, on October 3, 1944, at the Church of the Assumption in Perryville, Missouri. The priest that married them, Oscar L Huber, C.M., would be the same priest who, on November 22, 1963, performed the Last Rights for President John F. Kennedy.

On November 30, 1945, Robert received an Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps at the Marine Separation Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. At the time of his discharge, he was described as 64 1/2 inches tall (5'4"), with brown eyes, medium brown hair and a "ruddy" complexion. His character of service was described as excellent. While it was noted that he "participated in air strinkes against the enemy," he received no wounds as part of his service.

On October 18, 1949, four years after he left the Marine Corps, Robert joined the U.S. Army Illinois National Guard at Johnston City, Illinois as an E5 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on August 1, 1950. He was a member of the Illinois Corp of Engineers, U.S. Army National Guard Company C, 135th Engineering Battalion.

Robert resigned his commission from the Johnston City, Illinois, National Guard on January 23, 1952. At the time of his resignation, he was listed as married with three dependents. His civilian occupation was "Upholsterer."

His time of service was from October 18, 1949 - January 23, 1952. Although he served in the U.S. Army National Guard during the Korean War (1950 - 1953) he did not serve in Korea.

Approximately three weeks after resigning his commission in the National Guard, Robert lost his life in a tragic accident while working at the Maxon Construction Company in Joppa, Illinois, a company participating in the construction of the atomic bomb plant in Paducah, Kentucky. He had been working for the company for approximately 6 months. At the time of his death, Robert and Sylvia had three children with one child on the way. Their first daughter, Margaret Star "Twinkle" Bohnert had died at birth 1947. Robert was 29 years old. 

Robert's wife, Sylvia, applied for and received a military headstone. The birth date on the headstone is September 6, 1922. However, on Robert's military documents, his birth year is listed as 1923. His baptismal record lists 1922 as his birth year as does an additional document recovered from St. Joseph's Rectory in Apple Creek, Missouri.