SAMUEL KRONBERGER
By Jake Jaekel
On December 7th, 1941, Sam Kronberger and two of his sons, Robert and Edward were serving aboard the battleship USS West Virginia. During the attack Sam was blown off the ship by a bomb explosion.
Sam enlisted in the National Naval Volunteers at Boston Massachusetts January, 7th, 1907, and was assigned to the gunboat USS Gloucester and later the USS Kearage. He was released from active duty in 1917 and immediately reported for duty aboard the battle ship USS Nebraska. He was a member of the boarding party that seized the German liner Crown Princess Cecilia and later served on the destroyer USS Mc-Cook.
All of Sam’s four sons, Richard, William, Robert and Edward followed in his footsteps by becoming navy men and making it their career. His daughter Dorothy also married a career navy man, Howard kamler.
Richard was in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard December 7th, 1941. He retired after 30 years of naval service.
William was in the process of re-enlisting back in the States when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He retired after 30 years of naval service.
Robert was aboard the USS West Virginia and survived the Pearl Harbor attack. He retired with 37 years of naval service.
Edward Kronberger retired after 30 years of naval service and also survived the attack on Pearl Harbor aboard the USS West Virginia.
Dorothy’s husband, Howard Kamler, retired after 24 years of naval service.
(1st ROW, L to R) GEORGE W. HAINES JR, SAM KRONBERGER, RAYMOND J. LE BER, MARK FERRIS, and JAMES C. TANEYHILL. (2nd ROW, L to R) CLARENCE E. BONN, ED KRONBERGER, ROBERT S. KRONBERGER, ED STEFFA, GEORGE SCHAFFER, and LEWIS P. SMITH.
Sam, Robert and Edward Kronberger were among the 11 original founders of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association founded in 1958.