-=Home____________________________________
About This Old Soldier:
 
I was born on October 17th, 1941 in Champion, WI.  Grew up in Title Town USA (Green Bay, WI) on a Dairy Farm just North of the city (ie Bay Settlement)  At the age of 17,  I dropped out of Preble High School and joined the United States Navy.  First assignment was to a Heavy Cruiser (CA 124 USS Rochester) out of Long Beach, California; and, later  to a duty station at Kodiak Island, Alaska.  My tour with the Navy gave me a chance to see a fair amount of the Pacific and several Islands and ports.  Discharged from the US Navy in 1962 and joined the US Army 1963. This meant going through Basic Training twice. Must have been a glutton for punishment. 
 
After Basic I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division (ie 618th Engineer Company LE) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  At the time I was the only non parachutist in a company of 225 Airborne Troopers.  The pressure of the 225 Airborne Troopers to 1 non-jumper helped me make a decision to follow the other troopers and exit a C130 Aircraft while in flight.  Really have never regretted that decision because in my mind it's what help me have a great career with the US Army; along, with hard work.  In August 1970 I was given a Warrant Officer Commission and assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne; for my second trip to Viet Nam.  Returned to Fort Bragg 1971 and was Post and XVIII Airborne Corp Ration Breakdown Officer and Installation Food Advisor.  In 1981 I was fortunate to be assigned to a Theater Of Operation (ie 21st Support Command at Kaiserslautern, Germany).  This assignment gave us a chance to see a fair amount of Europe.  My last assignment was Readiness Group Presidio of San Francisco and we lived a few hundred feet from the Golden Gate Bridge.  Loved the sound of the Fog Horns and Presido.
 
On 12 September 1964 I married Patricia Ann Terp also from the Green Bay Area and Preble High School.  This was a changing factor in my life and the most rewarding.  From this point on I would have to work harder and support a family.  We had two children; a son (Robert) born in 1965 and a daughter (Kim Louise) born 1969.  As a family we traveled always together with the exception of my assignment to war zones.  We all got to see a large part of our great country and had lots of fun seeing it all.  In general the twenty years with the Army and my family at my side made it all worth while.  Patricia and I will celebrate 50th year together in September 2014.  I have said over the years I married Lucy; but, what a Lucy.  Would not trade a minute of it. 
 
We are now retired and living in Citrus Heights, California.  All is well that ends well !  I am proud of family and their supporting me through twenty some years of my career.  You can see more about what my career encompassed in the enclosures. 
 
Now we are just sitting back; enjoying a wonderful life and thanking GOD for it.    

 
e-mail address:

Enjoyed Working
For My Uncle Sam
rjstrebel@comcast.net
Life Member:
USAWOA   170 
VFW  9621514 
VFW National Home For Children
Freedom Is Not Free
My Business Card
Enjoyed Working
For My Uncle Sam
Enjoyed Working
For My Uncle Sam
My Business Card
Click for Citrus Heights, CA Forecast
email me
Please Take A Moment To Sign The Quest Book.
Thank You For Visiting My Site !
    Updated:

06/06/2023
Note:  First unit assigned to in the US Army.
          618th Engr. Co. (LE) Fort Bragg North Carolina
          See 1964 Yearbook Pictures on Video Page.
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You
---- Ask What You Can Do For Your Country
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You
---- Ask What You Can Do For Your Country
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You
---- Ask What You Can Do For Your Country
JFK
Sign InView Entries
Web Site Built by Robert Strebel