Robert John Oakman was born in Greenrath, Tipperary, Ireland on 2 April 1892. Robert’s baptism record of 6 April 1892 tells us his parents were Robert Oakman, a Constable with the Royal Irish Constabulary, and Mary Stanly.
Robert emigrated from Ireland to America in 1913 when he was about 21 years of age.
U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 show 25 year old Robert enlisted in the US Army in June 1917. Prior to enlisting, Robert had been working as a Track Foreman and had been living at 192nd Avenue in Brooklyn.
On 17 March 1918, in Manhattan, New York, Robert married Mary Moran. Robert and Mary were to have six children – two sons and four daughters.
By 1920, Robert was working as a Trackman at the Brooklyn Navy Base. In 1930 he was a Foreman at the Brooklyn Edison Company and was still working there in 1942 when he enlisted for service in WWII.
Robert died on 30 July 1949.