This is an excerpt from "Gold Star Boys." PFC Robert W. Andrews entered service March 18, 1941 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He served in the Medical Corp as a Private First Class of the 602nd Field Artillery Battalion. He began training in the General Hospital at Hot Springs, Arkansas. Later he became a Military Policeman while still at Arkansas. In June of 1943, he was sent to Camp Carson in Colorado where he took desert training in the mountains. The 602nd Artillery Battalion was ordered to depart for San Francisco, California for an unknown destination. A few days later, the 602nd Field Artillery Battalion landed on Adak Island in the Aleutian chains of islands and became part of the Amphibious Task Force #9, also known as the Kiska Task Force, which was scheduled to assault and invade Kiska Island on D-day, August 15, 1943. Landings were made on three different beaches with batteries of the 602nd going ashore with the assault Infantry Battalions, as reinforced cannon companies, while the remainder of Headquarters personnel served as South Sector Artillery Headquarters. Kiska Island was taken without opposition. The 602nd Battalion set up defensive positions and was garrisoned on the island for about three months until being ordered back to the United States on November 23, 1943. On the return trip, the ship transporting the battalion stopped briefly at Adak Island and Dutch Harbor before proceeding to Seattle, Washington, where it arrived on December 1, 1943. Private First Class Robert W. Andrews drowned at sea when attempting to rescue a mental patient, over whom he was standing guard, after the patient made a break and dove overboard. Pfc. Andrews was awarded posthumously the Soldier's Medal for heroism aboard the U.S. Army Transport "SS George Flavel" at sea November 28, 1943.