Tilney mysteriously disappears from the store’s employment registry in 1941 due to his enlistment into the US Army on August 1 of that year. The fact that Tilney enlisted into the military months before the Pearl Harbor attack is an interesting and noble aspect of his story’s timing. As Tilney was serving his nation as a paratrooper, he kept a strong friendship with the Garners and consistently corresponded with the family. The Garners received many letters from Tilney during the war, many in the form of V-Mail, or miniature letters for easier military organization and logistics. One such letter to the high school age Robert Garner was emblazoned with personal artwork of the North African landscape Tilney was fighting in.
Tilney was deployed to North Africa in 1942 where he participated in the United States first combat parachute jump of World War II. After initial military combat success in North Africa, Tilney was promoted to sergeant of his platoon. However, Sgt. Tilney was tragically shot and killed in Nice, France after he intentionally drew enemy sniper fire in order to locate German and Italian strongholds on August 25, 1944. Sgt. Tilney’s heroism would ultimately not be in vein, and due to his efforts these enemy positions were quickly eliminated by his platoon. Nice was completely liberated from Axis occupation shortly after Tilney’s death. Sgt. Tilney’s courage in combat and military service was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, the French Croix de Guerre, the Expert Infantry Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Service Bar, the Good Conduct Medal, Paratrooper Wings, and the before Pearl Harbor ribbon bar.
Tilney mysteriously disappears from the store’s employment registry in 1941 due to his enlistment into the US Army on August 1 of that year. The fact that Tilney enlisted into the military months before the Pearl Harbor attack is an interesting and noble aspect of his story’s timing. As Tilney was serving his nation as a paratrooper, he kept a strong friendship with the Garners and consistently corresponded with the family. The Garners received many letters from Tilney during the war, many in the form of V-Mail, or miniature letters for easier military organization and logistics. One such letter to the high school age Robert Garner was emblazoned with personal artwork of the North African landscape Tilney was fighting in. 
Tilney was deployed to North Africa in 1942 where he participated in the United States first combat parachute jump of World War II. After initial military combat success in North Africa, Tilney was promoted to sergeant of his platoon. However, Sgt. Tilney was tragically shot and killed in Nice, France after he intentionally drew enemy sniper fire in order to locate German and Italian strongholds on August 25, 1944. Sgt. Tilney’s heroism would ultimately not be in vein, and due to his efforts these enemy positions were quickly eliminated by his platoon. Nice was completely liberated from Axis occupation shortly after Tilney’s death. Sgt. Tilney’s courage in combat and military service was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, the French Croix de Guerre, the Expert Infantry Badge with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Service Bar, the Good Conduct Medal, Paratrooper Wings, and the before Pearl Harbor ribbon bar.
