Remembering Colonel Robert D. Banning, BS PA ’58

Colonel Robert Banning, longtime friend of the university and dedicated alumnus, passed away in 2023 in Tucson, Arizona. We share our condolences with all those who knew him.

During his distinguished, 30-year career in the military, Banning received numerous awards for bravery in the field, including a Silver Star for gallantry in combat, in addition to awards for his leadership and management abilities. A Vietnam War veteran, he served in high-profile assign-ments across the globe—including commanding a Field Artillery Battalion in the 25th Infantry Di-vision and serving as Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Army for Panama Canal Affairs in the 1977 Treaty turnover to Panama. When he served in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence, he was known as the most skillful adjudicator available for extremely sensi-tive and complex investigations and was awarded an Army Commendation Medal.

“Bob was proud of his service record and especially of his time at the White House during the Nixon administration, where he served as Senior Social Aide to the President,” says David What-ley, whose friendship with him spanned over six decades. “He was there the night President Nixon welcomed the Vietnam POWs back for the homecoming gala on the South Lawn and escorted songwriter Irving Berlin on stage to sing God Bless America. He recalled that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

Originally from Independence, Missouri, Banning grew up just five doors down from Harry and Margaret Truman—the latter of whom he would one day escort at Harry Truman’s funeral. On campus, he was a member of the Army ROTC and Delta Sigma Phi.

“I had joined Delta Sigma Phi just as he was graduating,” says longtime friend Bruce Loewenberg, BSF ’61. “We ended up connecting at a fraternity fundraiser sometime after college. That night, he dedicated a room at the Delta Sigma Phi house in his parents’ names.”

Banning was renowned for his generosity and supported numerous organizations related to the Army, the White House, veterans’ groups, national parks, and historic sites. Chief among these causes, though, was the University of Missouri.

“While he was in college, his dad died, and that left him without the money to finish school. The university saw to it that he was able to stay and finish his degree,” says Loewenberg. “He never forgot that. He felt a great drive to repay that debt.”

Banning was a member of the Jefferson Club, the MU Legacy Society, and a life member of the Mizzou Alumni Association. In 2015 he was inducted into the University of Missouri Army ROTC Hall of Fame. In 2019 he received the Mizzou Alumni Association’s Faculty and Alumni Award, which Loewenberg accepted on his behalf.

“Bob was well appreciated by many. He was a giver—had a lot of causes dear to his heart—but his first love was always Mizzou,” says Loewenberg. “He was a True Son, and I miss him.”

Colonel Banning died on April 15, 2023, at the age of 86. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.