The Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame has announced that Frank Robinson of Perryville is one of seven new inductees for its Class of 2025.
The Hall of Fame honors Missourians who served in the military and have made significant contributions to their communities, state, or nation following their service.
Robinson served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, including a tour in Vietnam as an infantry platoon leader. He was injured in action and returned home to complete his service. Afterward, he joined his father’s plumbing business and eventually expanded it into what is now Robinson Construction Company.
Robinson has remained active in supporting veterans and civic life. He was a founding member and director of Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial and served as chair of the Love Our Veterans Committee, a major fundraising effort for veteran initiatives.
His community involvement also includes service as a Perryville city alderman and as a member of the city’s planning commission.
Responding to his induction, Robinson said, “It’s a real honor for me to have been selected for induction into the Hall of Fame. I’ve been honored to meet so many veterans through the years through their association with the Military History Museum, Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial and other organizations in Perryville.
“As a veteran, I think we’re very fortunate to have received the support of our community through the years. This support really makes Perryville a very unique community. With such great organizations as these, I hope that we can continue supporting veterans well into the future.”
Honorary inductee General Maxwell Taylor, born in Keytesville, is this year’s honorary inductee. Taylor served in the U.S. Army from 1922 to 1959, and again from 1961 to 1964. As commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, he led the division’s parachute assault into Normandy on June 6, 1944, and was the first Allied general officer to land in France on D-Day. He died in Washington, D.C., on April 19, 1987, at age 85.
Other inductees
■ John Verle “Pete” Adkins of Wellsville (U.S. Navy, 1943–1946) served as a signalman during World War II. Following his service, he became a legendary high school football coach at Centralia and Jefferson City, holding one of the highest winning percentages in the nation. In retirement, he raised more than $1 million to support military personnel, veterans, and their families.
■ Richard A. Heigert of Arnold (U.S. Army, 1966– 1994) served as both an Army engineer and a military intelligence officer in the Army Reserves. He later worked nearly four decades with the Defense Mapping Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Heigert has advocated for veterans through the Missouri Association of Veterans Organizations, the POW-MIA Museum at Jefferson Barracks, and the Missouri Veterans Commission Foundation.
■ James M. Mayer of St. Louis (U.S. Army, 1968– 1970) served in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division and lost both legs below the knee due to a landmine in 1969. Mayer became a prominent advocate for veterans, serving with the VA, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Wounded Warrior Project, where he developed a national peer mentor training program.
■ Roger Brooks Sherman of Sikeston (U.S. Navy, 1952–1954) served aboard the USS Kirkpatrick during the Korean War. He spent 38 years in education as a teacher, coach, and administrator. Sherman has been a member of the Sikeston Kiwanis Club since 1964 and served as governor of the Missouri-Arkansas district. He has helped pass school bond issues and remains active at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.
■ Clifton M. Smart III of Springfield (U.S. Army, 1986–1990) served as a Judge Advocate General after completing law school. He later became general counsel and then president of Missouri State University, where he led the school through a period of record growth. Smart remains active in community affairs and was a strong supporter of the ROTC program at MSU.
Ceremony information
The induction ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, in the Rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol. The event is open to the public
