Robert Gibson (1923–2026): One of the Last Men to Land at Utah Beach

Robert “Bob” Gibson died at 102, one of the last Americans who could say, without books or archives, I was there. His story stretches from a New Jersey childhood to the beaches of Normandy, and back again – many times.

Robert Gibson was born on September 4, 1923, in Hampton, New Jersey. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, barely out of his teens.

After basic training at Camp Davis in North Carolina, he was assigned to the 116th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, Battery A. His unit trained to protect Allied forces from air attacks, a vital role once troops were ashore and exposed.

In October 1943, Gibson crossed the Atlantic aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth, packed with thousands of American soldiers heading for Britain. Like many of them, he had no idea when, or where, he would land in Europe.

D-Day at Utah Beach

On June 6, 1944, Gibson landed at Utah Beach in the second wave of the Normandy invasion. He was 20 years old.

Utah was the westernmost landing beach, assigned to U.S. forces. Strong currents pushed landing craft south of their intended zones, which unexpectedly reduced German resistance. Casualties were lower than feared, but that did not make the day easy or safe.

After the beach came the flooded fields inland. German forces had deliberately inundated the lowlands, forcing American troops to advance along narrow causeways under fire.

Gibson moved forward with his unit as the U.S. army fought to secure routes toward Cherbourg and link up with airborne troops dropped hours earlier.

He later fought through the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, one of the coldest and hardest campaigns of the war. He was discharged in December 1945.

Life After the War

Back home in Hampton, Gibson became a firefighter with the Hampton Fire Company, eventually serving as chief. He was also active in veterans’ organizations and was a charter member of the local VFW.

His public service continued in local politics. Over the years, he served as a town councilman and later as mayor.

For Gibson, Normandy was never “the past.” He returned many times for D-Day anniversaries and memorial events. In Carentan, a town fought over fiercely in June 1944, he became a familiar face.

Locals greeted him not as a distant hero, but as someone tied directly to their freedom.

In 2023, France awarded him the Légion d’honneur in Carentan. It is France’s highest national honor. For Gibson, the medal came nearly 80 years after the landing, but it carried real weight.

He also received honors from the Normandy region, including a regional medal presented in the United States, recognizing his continued role in keeping the memory of D-Day alive.

In June 2024, during the 80th anniversary ceremonies, he appeared at official events alongside world leaders. Frail but present, he joked to those helping him stand: “Don’t get old.”

One of the Last

Robert Gibson died on January 12, 2026, in Hampton, New Jersey. With his passing, the group of men who actually stepped onto the beaches of Normandy grows smaller again.

Each death removes not just a witness, but a living link, someone who could answer questions without interpretation or hindsight.

Normandy remembered him. France honored him. His town relied on him.