el paso inc

LTC Chisolm fought his final battle on January 4, 2022, when he passed away peacefully at his home.

He was born on June 23, 1925, in Dallas, Texas, the youngest of three sons born of the union of Thomas Isaac Chisolm and Augusta Leona Fann. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Margaret (08/15/2009); daughter, Dawn Doyle (03/22/2013); brothers, Thomas and Carl; and sisters, Marjorie Wallace and Billie Watkins.

Bob is survived by his son-in-law, Richard Doyle; granddaughter, Kim Kerson; great grandson, Ryan Kerson; great granddaughter, Taylor Kerson (partner Felix Arroyo III); and great-great grandsons, Felix (Lex) Arroyo IV and Varric Arroyo. He also leaves behind his faithful companion, “Woody,” his beloved rescue dog.

Bob attended elementary and high school in Dallas and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Benedict College in Atchison, Kansas, where he was a member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society.

He volunteered for the U.S. Army in August 1942, and after basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas, volunteered for parachute training, which was completed in December 1942. He attended the Parachute Communication and Demolition Schools at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to the Parachute School as an Instructor until March 1943 when he transferred to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. 

 He served with the 508th PIR through all of its European campaigns. He was wounded in Normandy on June 23, 1944, his nineteenth birthday; and was wounded a second time on September 17, 1944, in Holland.

During Operation Market Garden in Holland, Corporal Chisolm took charge of 80+ men and earned the Legion of Merit, the only such award the 508th Regiment made to an enlisted man or noncommissioned officer during WWII. He was wounded a third time on January 7, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge.

In February of 1945, he was medically evacuated to William Beaumont Army Hospital for further hospitalization and surgery.

On Valentine’s Day 1946, Bob married Margaret Browning, his childhood sweetheart, the one and only love of his life. Of this union, one daughter, his pride and joy, Dawn was born.

LTC Chisolm continued to serve his country in the U.S. Army with service in Korea as Company Commander L Company, 31st Infantry, 7th Division. His company fought one of the last major actions of the Korean conflict.

He served in the Vietnam conflict as Regimental Advisor with the Vietnamese Army 45th Infantry Regiment and G-3 Advisor to the 31st Operations Division. He served a second tour in Southeast Asia as Chief, Plans and Operations Division, Deputy Chief, JUSMAAG, Thailand. He was subsequently assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as Chief, War Games Branch, CDC. He was medically retired February 5, 1971.

After his retirement, he owned and operated ranching enterprises in New Mexico and East and West Texas.

In 1974, Bob and Margaret moved to El Paso where he was President of Jim Johnson of El Paso, Inc. He incorporated J-Tex, Inc., a manufacturing and export business and served as CEO and President. In 1981, he incorporated FDYA, a non-profit corporation in Texas, dedicated to the support of disadvantaged and deprived youth.

Bob was a Charter Member of the El Paso Benavidez-Patterson Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association that was launched in August 1985. He was instrumental in the Chapter acquiring its own building at 2608 Fort Blvd. in El Paso. Perhaps the “crown jewel” of the Benavidez-Patterson Chapter initiatives is the Scholarship Fund that Bob was instrumental in establishing and over the years helping to fund.

Bob was also an active Member of the El Paso Vietnam Veterans of America “Robert E. Chisolm” Chapter 844, named in his honor in August 2014. He was a Permanent Life Member on the Chapter 844 Board of Directors. Bob was an original Sustaining Lifetime Member of the Family and Friends of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring, preserving and communicating the history of all eras of 508th Paratroopers spanning Bob’s WWII originals to today’s 508th Battalions based at Fort Bragg, NC.

In January 2021, the Association renamed its “Person of the Year” award to be called the “Bob Chisolm Person of the Year” award.

Bob’s other veteran organization affiliations include Lifetime Member of VFW Post 812; DAV Chapter 187; Purple Heart Chapter 393; Alamo Silver Wings Airborne Association; 31st Infantry Association; PVA; NAUS; Member of Korean War Veterans Association, Chapter 249; Combat Infantrymen’s Association and American Legion Post 58. Other organizations that Bob belonged to were AFM Homer Lodge 254 and a lifetime Endowed Member Scottish Rite.

Among his many decorations and awards were the Legion of Merit w/2 OLC; Bronze Star; Purple Heart w/2 OLC; Army Commendation Medal; The French Legion of Honor; The French Fourragere; The Belgium Fourragere and the Netherlands Orange Lanyard.

He proudly wore the Silver Wings of Paratrooper with two bronze stars and bronze arrowhead and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (one of only 324 Soldiers ever to receive three Combat Infantry Badges) with two stars. He was a combat infantry veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

In May 2019, Bob was inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division’s All American Hall of Fame – now one of only 57 Hall of Fame members from the hundreds of thousands who have served with the famed 82nd Airborne Division. This most distinguished award was recognition of his lifetime military and civilian achievements, and also Bob’s character as a leader on the battlefield, in the business world, and with local El Paso charities.

A very special “thank you” to nurse Karla Corona for the TLC she provided our beloved Bob. He considered you a part of the family. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dawn Chisolm Doyle Memorial Scholarship, PO Box 1151, Santa Teresa, NM 88008 or via Venmo to Richard Doyle@Richard-Doyle-5.

Funeral services for Bob will be held on March 3, 2022, beginning at Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler, El Paso, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Following the visitation hours, a ceremony at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson Ave., El Paso, will begin at 2 p.m. sharp. 

Following the ceremony, all are invited to a reception in Bob’s honor at the Benavidez-Patterson All-Airborne Chapter at 2608 Fort Blvd., El Paso. Food will be served in the Chapter’s All American Hall from 3 to 7 p.m. and the Chapter’s Bell-Huey Bar will be open until 12 p.m. midnight.