Robert Bernard Tresville (1891 - 1965)

Born 23 Sep 1891 in Galveston Island, Galveston, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 28 Nov 1965 at age 74 in Alameda, California, United States

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WWII MIA Family Connections

Biography

Robert Tresville is Notable.

Robert Tresville is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Army
He enlisted in 1912 and retired in 1945 as a Chief Warrant Officer

Robert Tresville was a musician and band master who lead the 24th Infantry Band at Fort Benning, Georgia. The band was well-known at the time and broadcasted some performances over local radio.^[1]

Robert Bernard Tresville was born in 1891, in Galveston Texas, one of twelve children of Jordan Tresville and Manassas Brown.^[2]

He was a student at the Institute of Musical Art in New York, and also at Band Master's School in Washington DC. He graduated second in his class of nine, and he was the only African American enrolled in the class.^[3] Upon his graduation he was stationed at Fort Huachuca Military Reservation. ^[4]

He married Irma Jones that same year, and their first son, Robert, was born in 1921. Irma was an accomplished pianist, having been a teacher of the instrument when she married Robert, and in 1923, the two performed at a program during "Negro Music Week" in Galveston, Texas, with Robert as trombone soloist accompanied by his wife on piano. ^[5] A year later, he had the distinction of leading the 24th Infantry band from Fort Benning, Georgia, at the Alabama State Fair.^[6] In that same year, Irma gave birth to a daughter, who sadly died just two days after her birth.^[7] In 1930, the couple was living at Fort Benning with their son Robert Jr. ^[8] Four years later, another son was born, and in 1940, while Robert Jr. was attending West Point, Robert, Irma and their youngest son were living at Fort Benning.^[9]

The 24th Infantry Band was popular under Robert's direction.^[10] As early as 1933, they were broadcasting over Station WRBI in Columbus from Fort Benning.^[11] The band is noted in reference to a Spiritual Easter Service in 1937, where morale was raised due to their performance at the program. ^[12]

His son was quite famous in his appointment to the Military Academy in 1939, and even more so when he graduated in January of 1943. Robert Sr. was stationed somewhere in the Pacific and missed the accolades of his son's graduation.^{[13] [14]} He returned from being stationed in the Pacific for a year in July of 1943. ^[15] Robert Jr. joined the Tuskegee Air force upon graduation from the academy. He flew 23 missions before the tragic day when he crashed into the Adriatic Sea during a mission.

Robert moved his family to California sometime after the loss of his son, Robert Tresville, Jr, whose remains have never been recovered. Robert Sr. died in 1965^[16] and is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.^[17]

Please see the World War II Missing In Action Family Connections page for more information

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.dvidshub.net/news/389475/veteran-african-american-regiment-its-band-among-those-honored-fort-benning
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3GC-LVY : accessed 28 June 2020), Robert Tresville in household of Jordan Tresville, Galveston city Ward 12, Galveston, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 141, sheet 2B, family 33, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,637.
3. ↑ The Pittsburgh Courier, 20 Dec 1941, pg. 21.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCRX-T74 : accessed 28 June 2020), Robert B Tresville in household of James F Hendricks, Fort Huachuca Military Reservation, Cochise, Arizona, United States; citing ED 14, sheet 7A, line 19, family 119, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 46; FHL microfilm 1,820,046.
5. ↑ The Galveston Daily News, 19 Nov 1923, pg. 3
6. ↑ The Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, Alabama, 9 Nov 1924, pg. 2.
7. ↑ "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V8CY-MJM : 1 January 2015), Robert Bernard Tresville in entry for MM9.1.1/V8CY-MJ9:, 04 Jan 1924; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:3HHW-FW2 : accessed 28 June 2020), Robert B Tresbille, Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 25, sheet 28A, line 26, family 343, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 378; FHL microfilm 2,340,113.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7L3-9GF : 28 July 2019), Robert B Tresville, Militia District 1104, Chattahoochee, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 26-5A, sheet 49B, line 78, family , Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 654.
10. ↑ https://www.dvidshub.net/news/389475/veteran-african-american-regiment-its-band-among-those-honored-fort-benning
11. ↑ Recruting News Vol 15-16, 1933, pg 13.
12. ↑ Life of the Solder and the Airman, Volumes 20-21, 1938; Page 7
13. ↑ The Pittsburgh Courier, 23 Jan 1943, pgs 1,4.
14. ↑ "Lt. Tresville, one of the outstanding scholars and athletes at West Point, received his wings December 11 as a member of the Class 42-K at Tuskegee Flying school. Unlike the other members of his class, he was not commissioned and had to return to the Military Academy for another month's training before receiving hs gold bars. " ......." Chief Warrant Officer, Robert B. Treville was stationed "somewhere in the Pacific."" The Pittsburgh Courier, 23 Jan 1943, pgs 1,4.
15. ↑ The Pittsburgh Courier, 10 Jul 1943, pg. 3
16. ↑ "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007"
    Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007
    Ancestry Record 60901 #8169569
    Name: Robert Bernard Tresville; Birth Date: 23 Sep 1891; Claim Date: 5 Sep 1956; Notes: 05 Sep 1956: Name listed as ROBERT BERNARD TRESVILLE.
17. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3642532/robert-bernard-tresville: accessed 26 August 2022), memorial page for Robert Bernard Tresville (23 Sep 1891–28 Nov 1965), Find a Grave Memorial ID 3642532, citing Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, USA; Maintained by US Veterans Affairs Office (contributor 5).