Robert Lawrence Sanden

Robert Lawrence Sanden was a member of the Spring Class of 1942, one of the pioneer classes of Abraham Lincoln High School.

        He was born on February 27, 1924, to Lawrence Bernal and Esther (Brazil) Sanden in San Francisco, California. His father was born on March 18, 1900, in California and died on July 19, 1988, in Burlingame, California. His mother, Esther, was born on August 16, 1900, in Kansas and died on May 29, 1976, in South San Francisco, California.

        He had one brother, Richard Louis, who was born on October 17, 1931, in San Francisco. He graduated from Lincoln with the Fall Class of 1949. Richard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served with the 2nd Division, 6th Marine Regiment.

        Robert attended Aptos Junior High in San Francisco and upon graduation from there entered George Washington High School for two terms. When Lincoln became operational, Robert transferred to Abraham Lincoln and graduated in the Second Commencement Class on June 17, 1942.

        While at Lincoln, he was active in numerous activities. He was elected Vice President of the Junior Class, president of the Low Senior Class, and then Student Body President in 1942. Thus, he served as a member of the School Executive Committee.

        Robert was also an officer with the rank of Captain in the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. In addition, as a member of the Drama Club, he participated in the first two plays presented at Abraham Lincoln. He was reporter for the Lincoln Log and the manager of the 1942 Abraham LincolnRoundup.

        He enlisted in the U. S. Army after graduation. Following basic training, he was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division. The division was later deployed to the European Theater of Operations and fought from Normandy through France to Germany.

        Robert had been assigned to the 115th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division and had attained the rating of Private First Class. He was killed in action in the Rhineland on November 16, 1944, and initially interred in the Army Cemetery in Margarten-Aschen, Holland.

        Robert L. Sanden is listed in the World War II Honor List of Dead & Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel from California as being a private first class and killed in action.

        His remains were disinterred in 1948 from Margarten-Aachen and returned to the United States to be reinterred at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, in Section C, Grave #797.