Robert Charles Kreger, Sr.

1920 – 1990

WWII 
MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Unit: 2nd Battalion 19th Infantry 24th Division
Enlisted: 7 August 1942
Discharged: 28 March 1946

Kreger’s ROTC training positioned him for leadership as 2nd Lt. and eventually rising to 1st Lt. during the Pacific Campaign.

His infantry fought continuously across New Guinea and the Philippines.

As a Jr. officer in the 2nd Battalion, he would have been directly involved in the 24th Division drive through the island’s interior.

As platoon leader, he led patrols and assaults in entrenched positions, coordinated fire support (mortars, machine guns and artillery), managed logistics and casualty evacuation in jungle terrain and maintained discipline and morale.

The Mindanao Campaign was fought through dense jungle, steep ridges, heat, disease, supply challenges and a determined Japanese defense.

Kreger married Ruth Barton in June 1946.  They raised twin boys.

Art Kreger and Cora Johnston were his parents; Maxine was his sister.

Robert C. Kreger Jr. and Barton Kreger were his sons.

Robert John Johnston and Leland Robert Johnston were cousins.

After the war, Kreger worked for Westinghouse Electric.

Sadie “Puff” Gravely Hampson

1923 – 2018
WWII

Sadie was born in Martinsville, Va.  She attended Randolph College for Women studying English and Math. 
After college, she worked as a teacher and at DuPont on uses for the miracle fiber of nylon.
Enlisted in the Navy: 30 November 1944
Discharged: 20 June 1946

Sadie was a Naval Officer, Ensign in the WAVES (Women for Voluntary Emergency Service) She was highly educated and cleared for classified work. Her service would have been essential to the functioning of the wartime Navy.

POSTWAR MOBILIZATION 1945 -46

Processing discharge paperwork, managing returning servicemen’s records, overseeing separation centers, coordinating transportation and logistics for demobilization and supervising temporary wartime staff reduction would include some of her responsibilities.

Sadie married Bob Hamson on October 6, 1946.  They were married for 62 years and raised five children.