When Robert H. Cahoon was born on July 14, 1921, in Massachusetts, his father, Clinton, was 32 and his mother, Effie, was 33. He had three brothers and two sisters. He was a Private, paratrooper of the C/502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. He jumped and fought in Normandy and Holland, before being WIA during the Battle of the Bulge in Champs which is near Bastogne, Belgium on Dec. 31, 1944 for which he received a Purple Heart. He also received a Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for his heroic actions on that same day. He ended his military service as a Corporal.

He is also honored at the Carentan Historical Foundation - Airborne Wall Memorial in Normandy, France, The Eternal Heroes' Memorial in Ravenoville, France and the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY.