Roscoe Robinson was born October 11, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1951. He was a distinguished combat commander and the first African American man to become a four-star Army General.

He served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and received his fourth star in 1982, when he was assigned to be the U.S. Representative to NATO’s Military Committee. His posts included those of Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics in Vietnam, Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division and Commanding General of IX Corps in Japan.

His medals included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star Medal.

He retired from the Army in October 1983 and died July 22, 1993.