28 Jul 1923 | Born to Ithamar Benedict Rettgers and Laura Tyson Hartenstine |
9 Sep 1923 | Baptised at Central United Methodist Church, Reading, PA |
1930 Census | 128 West Pike St, Reading, PA |
24 Feb 1937 | Father passes away from complications of chemical warfare exposure in WWI |
1940 Census | 128 West Pike St, Reading, PA |
13 Jun 1941 | Graduates from Reading Senior High School |
27 Aug 1941 | Enlisted in the Navy at Philadelphia, PA |
28 Dec 1945 | Married to Marjorie Ethel Fett in Berks County, PA |
28 Aug 1946 | Honorable Discharge from the US Navy |
1947 | Started at Metropolitan Edison as a meter tester, laboratory tester, field tester |
1950 Census | 606 Kutztown Rd, Laureldale, PA |
1948-1967 | Three Daughters were born to Robert and Marjorie |
Jun 1954 | Graduated from Pennsylvania State University Extension School with a degree in Industrial Electricity |
1969-1994 | Seven Grandchildren were born |
1985 | Retired from Metropolitan Edison (GPU) as District Manager for Dillsburg |
9 Jul 2014 | Died in Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, PA |
15 Jul 2014 | Buried in Dillsburg Cemetery, Dillsburg, PA |
27 Aug 1941 | Enlisted in the Navy at Philadelphia, PA |
28 Aug 1941 | Arrived at Boot Camp, NTS Newport |
23 Oct 1941 | Graduated from Boot Camp, NTS Newport, 40th Co |
28 Oct 1941 | Report to US NTS San Diego, CA |
7 Dec 1941 | Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy |
19 Feb 1942 | Completed Group I (A) School, NTS San Diego, CA |
3 Mar 1942 | Seaman 2nd class (Sea2c) Rettgers arrives onboard USS Helena (CL-50) a St. Louis class light cruiser which was an upgraded Brooklyn class cruiser |
1 May 1942 | Sea2c Rettgers promoted to Seaman 1st class (Sea1c) |
23 May 1942 | Sea1c Rettgers transferred to US Naval Hospital Mare Island, CA for treatment. Sea2c Rettgers had fallen down a hatch and damaged his kidney. On his 1946 Draft Registration paperwork, the scar is noted as "Incision mark on right abdomen." |
12 Aug 1942 | Reports to R.S. San Francisco |
25 Aug 1942 | Reports to R.S. New York, New York |
1 Sep 1942 | Sea1c Rettgers reports on board USS Saufley (DD-465) |
1 Nov 1942 | Sea1c Rettgers promoted to Fire Controlman Third Class (FC3c) |
1 May 1943 | FC3c Rettgers promoted to Fire Controlman Second Class (FC2c) |
1 Apr 1944 | FC2c Rettgers promoted to Fire Controlman First Class (FC1c) |
6 Jun 1944 | D-Day landings at Normandy, France |
8 May 1945 | VE Day (victory in Europe) and formal surrender of Germany |
22 Jun 1945 | FC1c Rettgers is released from the Saufley to Advanced Fire Control School, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. |
6 Aug 1945 | Little Boy Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima |
9 Aug 1945 | Fat Man Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki |
9 Aug 1945 | Reports to Advanced Fire Control School, Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. |
14 Aug 1945 | VJ Day (victory over Japan) |
15 Aug 1945 | Promoted to Warrant Gunner |
2 Sep 1945 | Japan formally surrenders |
31 Jan 1946 | Completed NTS Fire Control - Advanced, Washington, D.C. |
19 Feb 1946 | Arrives on USS Boston (CA-69) |
28 Aug 1946 | Honorable Discharge from the US Navy |
For the Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon, Robert was onboard for the following engagements:
Robert ("Bob") attended many Saufley reunions, and hosted one. He "learned about the SAUFLEY Reunions from a shipmate and first attended a meeting in 1965. He found it was a great experience to get together with shipmates and their families." (Uncommon Crew pg 286)