Robert Fleck was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in August 1924, but lived locally in Carlisle, where his father was an insurance agent. He graduated from Carlisle High School in June 1942 and entered Dickinson.  He spent only one year at the College before he was drafted into the army in March 1943.  He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. 

Fleck trained in Texas and Louisiana before being assigned to the 84th Infantry Division in the European Theater.  While advancing with his unit into Germany, PFC Fleck was killed in action on November 29, 1944.  He is buried in an American Military Cemetery in Holland. He was twenty years old.