Robert Holland Payne was born October 5, 1916 in Littleton, Colorado as the only child to Holland B. and Pearl B. (Broad) Payne.  Grandson of Mrs. E. Maude Broad of Denver, grand nephew of Mary Colman Williams of Golden, Mrs. W.F. Smith of Wheat Ridge and Colorado Senator Richard Broad Jr.  Payne graduated from Colorado A&M in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1938.

In February 1939, Payne enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Service Number O-385354. MAJ Payne served with 2nd Map Charting.

On September 4, 1943, MAJ Payne was flying B-34 Ventura 41-38218 from Manaus, Brazil to Cali, Columbia. The plane, flying in low clouds, crashed into a mountain near Roncesvalles, Colombia. All eight people aboard were killed. The wreckage was found after several days of searching.

Memorial services held at Central Presbyterian Church in Longmont and MAJ Payne was interred in Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder, Colorado