Navy Lt. Robert (Bob) Alvin Ellis, Jr. was in charge of a Landing Ship, Tanks (LST) on D-Day. He had named it "The USS MARGIE" in honor of his Baylor University sweetheart and future wife, Marjorie Clayton, of Houston, Texas.
As the ship approached "Omaha Beach," it struck a mine and was destroyed. No one was killed-all were saved!
As one of the sailors on the rescue ship put his band down to pull Bob out of the water, he stopped and exclaimed, “Don't I know you?!" He turned out to be an acquaintance from high school in Dallas. Amazingly, when Bob reported to the captain of the rescue ship, he discovered that he was a good friend and classmate from Baylor University!
After the loss of his ship, Bob was assigned to Portsmouth, England, where he served as a Navy Courier of secret documents between Portsmouth and London.
As the war progressed, he was eventually re-assigned to New Orleans for special training for the Pacific area. Happily, "VJ Day" occurred in the meantime and his orders were cancelled.
While still stationed in New Orleans, he and Marjorie were married in the First Baptist Church on October 7, 1945. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters.
Bob went to be with the Lord he loved and served faithfully in July, 1984, in Houston, Texas.
Bob grew up in First Baptist Church and was baptized by Dr. George W. Truitt on Easter Sunday when he was 11 years old. His father, Robert Alvin Ellis, was a deacon and Sunday School teacher for many years, and his mother taught Beginners with ”Miss Bertha" for 22 years. His sister, a year younger, Mary Jo Ellis Bentley, adored her brother and loved the fun of being his sister and friend.
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