Private Robert Gay, US Army

Pa Bob Gay, patriarch of the Gay-Parker family, became one of the few young Black men to leave the Farmville-Pitt County, NC to serve in World War I.

Pa Bob spent time at Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) during the time that the camp was being created and later recalled travelling to France.

When Pa Bob entered the army in December 1917, he was 21 years old, already married to Ma Lillie, and had a son named Herman Lee. By the time that Pa Bob had returned home he had a daughter named Jennie.

On this 100th year celebration of WWI and the Armistice we proudly cheer and applaud our patriarch Robert “Pa Bob” Gay for his service to our country.