Robert Joseph “Bob” Niland was born on February 2, 1919, in Tonawanda, Erie County, New York. He was the son of Michael Charles Niland Jr. and Augusta Louise "Gussie" Witzke Niland. He enlisted in the service on November 7, 1941.

Robert served in Company D, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as a Sergeant during World War II. He was Killed in Action on June 6, 1944, while manning his machine gun in Neuville-au-Plain, France. Sgt Niland is now buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.