Robert Paul Simon was born on 19 May 1921, the son of Edward and Edna Mae Jenkins Simon of St. Joseph, MO.

Torpedoman's Mate Petty Officer Second Class Robert Paul Simon was serving on the submarine USS Gudgeon (SS-211) in 1944 during World War II. Armed with the pride borne of her successes on eleven previous war patrols, Gudgeon, under Lieutenant Commander R.A. Bonin, sailed from Pearl Harbor on 4 April 1944 to conduct her twelfth patrol in an open sea area in the northern Marianas. She left Johnston Island on 7 April 1944, after having topped off with fuel, and was never heard from again.

Originally scheduled to leave her area on 16 May 1944, she was ordered on 11 May to depart her area in time to take station for a special assignment. An acknowledgment for this message was required and when none was received, it was asked for again on 12 May. On 14 May, her special assignment was given to another submarine, and Gudgeon was told to return to Midway. She should have arrived at Midway about 23 May but failed to do so and on 7 June she was reported as presumed lost.

Simon's military plaque reads 15 January 1946 which is when they declared him legally dead. He also served on the USS Mingo (SS-261) in the Pacific, and his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.