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SGT John Sieren (Big John)
to remember
Kreis, Robert (BOB), T/5.
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Contact Info
Home Town CARDINGTON
Last Address 3728 NORTH COUNTRY DRIVE ANTELOPE CALIFORNIA, 95843
Date of Passing Jun 21, 1986
Location of Interment Calvary Catholic Cemetery - Sacramento, California
ROBERT JAMES KREIS WAS - 855 GS-13, SUPERVISORY, AVIONICS ENGINEER, WORKING FOR McCULLEN AIR FORCE BASE. HE WAS THE SUPERVISING ENGINEER FOR THE F-111-C AIRCRAFT. AND THE MODIFICATIONS, TO INCLUDE RETROFITTING AVIONICS, FOR THE EMBEDDED COMPUTER SYSTEM, HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORT OF THAT AIRCRAFT PROJECT. HE WAS STATIONED THERE FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH ON JUNE 21, 1986. HE WAS ADMIRED BY HIS CO-WORKERS AS WELL AS HIS EMPLOYEE'S THAT HE SUPERVISED, ALSO SUPPORTING THEM AS A FRIEND AS WELL AS A SUPERVISOR. PREVIOUSLY, HE HAD BEEN AT NORTON AF BASE FROM 1981 THRU 1985, WITH THE SAME PROGRAM AS THE 855-G.M.13 AVIONICS ENGINEER, WITH THE F-111 C AIRCRAFT.
PREVIOUSLY STATIONED AT NORTON AIR FORCE BASE AS A ELECTRONIC SUPERVISORY - ENGINEER, GM-855, 13, FOR THE ARC - 111-C- , (F-11-C), AIRCRAFT, RETRO-FITTING AIRCRAFT FOR EMBEDDED MICRO-CHIP PROGRAM AT NORTON BASE. FROM 1981 THRU 1985.THE BASE CLOSURE SEND THE WORKLOAD, WITH THE TEAM AND MR. KREIS TO McCLULEN AIR FORCE BASE CONTINUING THE MODIFICATION WORK AS THEY'RE SPECIALIZATION IN THIS FIELD, WAS CRUCIAL. ALL OF THE TECS INCLUDING MR. KREIS WERE ESPECIALLY ESSENTIAL TO THE PROJECT AND TO IT'S COMPLETE ON FOR ANY AND ALL DEADLINES, FOR FY-86..
UNFORTUNATELY ON JUNE 21, 1986, MR. KREIS SERICUM TO HEART FAILURE, (HEART ATTACK), AT HIS RESIDENCE. ANTELOPE, CALIFORNIA AND HE WAS INTERNED AT CAVALRY CATHOLIC CEMETERY IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING STAFF AS WELL AS THE McCULLEN STAFF ATTENDED HIS FUNERAL, HE WAS MUCH LOVED AND ADMIRED. DURING THE YEAR HE WORKED AT McCULLEN, HE HAD BEEN TDY FROM NORTON AF BASE AND MADE MANY CONTACTS AT THE BASE AND HAD MADE MANY FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES.
Other Comments:
MR. KREIS WAS ON SEVERAL ASSIGNMENTS OF RETROFITTING THE ARC-111 AIRCRAFT WITH UP-TO-DATE AVIONICS AND ENGINEERING. MR. KREIS WAS ALSO A PILOT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND KNEW THE AIRCRAFT QUITE WELL.
MR. KREIS ALSO SERVED IN THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS, 1943-1946, ALSO, THREE YEARS WITH THE INACTIVE READY RESERVES, (IRR), 1946 THRU 1949 AND WAS PROMOTED TO, PFC, THEN HE WAS THEN DISCHARGED ON 31 JANUARY 1949. FOR A TOTAL OF 6 YEARS DURING THE WORLD WAR II. IN DEFENSE OF THE COASTAL HABOR - SITES AND PROTECTION OF THOSE SIGHTS. HE WAS A "HAM RADIO OPERATOR", ALSO, LEGALLY BLIND IN ONE EYE, HIS SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF, MORES CODE, ENABLED THIS MEDICAL ISSUE TO BE WAIVED AND HE JOINED THE U.S. ARMY'S SIGNAL CORPS. HE ALSO EARNED A COLLEGE DEGREE IN BROADCASTING ENGINEERING IN 1948.
MR. KREIS SERVED AS A - G.M. 15, BROADCASTING ENGINEER FOR "RCA" IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, VIETNAM,ATTACHED TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY, ARMED FORCES, FROM 1967 THRU 1969. DURING THE TET - OFFENSE UNTIL THE, ONE YEAR (JANUARY 1968 THRU JUNE 1969), COMPLETION OF THE 3 YEAR PROJECT, IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM FOR THE SOUTH - VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT.
MR. KREIS SR., DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY BRING TELEVISION AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TO SOUTH VIETNAM, DURING THE TET-OFFENSIVE, 1968 -1969. AND THE TOTAL HOSTILITIES, FROM 1967 THRU 1968 THRU 1969, THREE, (3), YEARS.
MR. ROBERT JAMES KREIS, (BOB), WAS AWARDED THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE MEDAL, II ND CLASS FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK DURING THESE THREE YEARS DURING HOSTILE TIMES. ALSO, BY BRINGING RADIO & TELEVISION TO SOUTH VIETNAMESE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT. ALSO HE WAS AWARDED THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, ("CIVILIAN"), FOR SERVICE IN VIETNAM, 1967 THRU 1968 AND THRU 1969.. HE WAS AWARDED BY THE "MINISTER OF INFORMATION", FOR MR. KREIS'S OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE , THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MEDAL II HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SOUTH VINEATMISE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, SHALL NEVER FORGET THE BLOOD AND LIVES THAT HAVE BEEN LOST BY THE AMERICANS IN ASSISTING IN THE PRESENTING RADIO AND TELEVISION TO THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. ALSO, THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, (CIVILIAN). FOR SERVICE IN VIETNAM, 1967 THRU 1968 THRU 1969. ("TET OFFENSIVE").
MR. KREIS HAD THE ADMIRATION OF THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AND THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE PEOPLE. ALSO, HIS AMERICAN CO-WORKERS AND AND THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AS WELL AS THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ADMINISTRATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
MR. KREIS'S BROTHER, DONALD ALSO WORKED IN THE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IN THE USA, RETIRING, SOMETIME LATER. MR. KREIS WOULD BE STATIONED AT WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, FOR APPROXMATELY TWO, (2), YEARS. THEN IN 1970 HE WOULD BE STATIONED AT THE THE SACRAMENTO ARMY DEPOT, BEING THERE ALMOST 10 YEARS, AT THE ARMY DEPOT AT, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AS SENIOR BROADCAST ENGINEER, G.S. 856 - 12., TASA, TELEVISION, AUDIO SUPPORT, ACTIVITY, IN 1971 THRU 1981 WORKING ON MANY PROJECTS AND OBTAINING MANY AWARDS AND ACCOLADES THROUGHOUT HIS ALMOST TEN YEARS AT THE ARMY DEPOT, SPECIFICALLY, TASA, (EARNING MANY AWARDS FOR HIS SPECIAL SUPPORT AND OUTSTANDING WORK, EFFIENCY AND HIS OUTSTANDING CHARACTER). MR. KREIS WOULD THEN PROMOTE TO GM 855 13, AT NORTON AIR FORCE BASE, SAN BERNARDINEO, CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE WORKED ON A SECRET AIRCRAFT AS THE CHIEF ELECTRONIC SUPERVISORY ENGINEER GM - 855-13, IN CHARGE OF RETROFITTING THE, ARC-111-C, (F-111-C), AIRCRAFT'S COMPUTER SYSTEM, FROM 1981 THRU 1985. THEN HE WAS TRANSFERED TO Mc CULLEN, AIR FORCE BASE, AT NORTH HIIGHLANDS, CALIFORNIA. AS NORTON AF BASE WAS ON THE FY 85 CLOUSURE LIST, (BRAC). THE WORKLOAD FOLLOW MR. KREIS, AS HE WAS A CHEIF AVIONICS SUPERVISOR, G.S. 855 - 13. IN CHARGE OF THE ARC-111-C, AIR-CRAFT, (F-111-C), MODERNIZATION PLAN. RETROFITTING PROGRAM - EMBEDDING MICROCHIPS INTO THE COMPUTER"S SYSTEMS, OF THE AIR-CRAFT'S MAINFRAME SYSTEMS. FIGHTER JET, USA. FOR ABOUT ONE, (1), YEAR, FY; 1985-1986.
UNFORTUNATELY, MR. KREIS, AFTER WORKING ABOUT ONE YEAR AND JUST SIX MONTHS FROM HIS RETIREMENT, WITH ABOUT TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF SERVICE, HE SERCUM TO A MASIVE HEART ATTACK ON 21 - JUNE 1986 AND PASSED AWAY. UNFORTINUATELY, HE HAD JUST PASSED A COMPLETE PHYSICAL SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT DATE, IN MAY 1986. HIS FAMLY, AND MANY FRIENDS, CO- WORKERS ATTENDED BOTH CHURCH SERVICES AND HIS FUNERAL AT CATHOLIC, CAVALRY CEMETERY AT SACRAMENTO. HE RECEIVIED PRAISE FROM HIS CO-WORKERS FROM, NORTON AND FROM McCullen AIR FORCE BASES, ALSO, FROM THE SACRAMENTO ARMY DEPOT AND WASHINGTON D.C., WERE HE WAS KNOWN AMONG THE HANDFUL OF ENGINEERS, TO BE TRULY A GREAT MAN AND EXCEPTIONAL ENGINEER, OF TRUE CHAARACTER, EXPERTEASE, ENTELECT AND KNOWLEDGW OF ENGINERING PRACTICES AND PROCEEDURES, OF THE THE ARC-111 C- (F-111-C), AIRCRAFT. AFTER HIS DEATH, THREE ADDITIONAL EMGINEERS WERE ASSIGNEEED TO COMPLETE THE WORK ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT MR KREIS WAS DOING BY HIMSELF. TRULEY A GREAT EXCEPTIONALLY, GIFTED ENGINEER AND MAN. HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED AND HIS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENGINEERING WILL ALSO BE A LOSS TOO. SADELY, SIX, (6), SHORT MONTHS BEFORE MR. KREIS WAS SUPPOSE TO RETIREE ON HIS SIXTY - FIFTH, (65), TH., BIRTHDAY, 14 JANUARY 1987. HIS PLANS WERE TO BUY A MOTOR HOME AND TO CRUSE, WITH HIS WIFE MARY AND THEIR DOG, TRIXIE, THE WIDE OPEN ROADS OF THE UNITED STATES. HE LOVED THE UNITED STATES AND WANTED TO EXPLORE AS MUCH OF IT AS HE COULD WITH HIS BELOVED LITTLE DOG TRIXIE, AND WIFE MARY HELLEN. THIS WAS A DREAM HE SHARED WITH HIS STEP-SON, BIG JOHN.
Vietnam War/Tet Counteroffensive Campaign (1968)
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Description This campaign was from 30 January to 1 April 1968. On 29 January 1968 the Allies began the Tet-lunar new year expecting the usual 36-hour peaceful holiday truce. Because of the threat of a large-scale attack and communist buildup around Khe Sanh, the cease fire order was issued in all areas over which the Allies were responsible with the exception of the I CTZ, south of the Demilitarized Zone.
Determined enemy assaults began in the northern and Central provinces before daylight on 30 January and in Saigon and the Mekong Delta regions that night. Some 84,000 VC and North Vietnamese attacked or fired upon 36 of 44 provincial capitals, 5 of 6 autonomous cities, 64 of 242 district capitals and 50 hamlets. In addition, the enemy raided a number of military installations including almost every airfield. The actual fighting lasted three days; however Saigon and Hue were under more intense and sustained attack.
The attack in Saigon began with a sapper assault against the U.S. Embassy. Other assaults were directed against the Presidential Palace, the compound of the Vietnamese Joint General Staff, and nearby Ton San Nhut air base.
At Hue, eight enemy battalions infiltrated the city and fought the three U.S. Marine Corps, three U.S. Army and eleven South Vietnamese battalions defending it. The fight to expel the enemy lasted a month. American and South Vietnamese units lost over 500 killed, while VC and North Vietnamese battle deaths may have been somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000.
Heavy fighting also occurred in two remote regions: around the Special Forces camp at Dak To in the central highlands and around the U.S. Marines Corps base at Khe Sanh. In both areas, the allies defeated attempts to dislodge them. Finally, with the arrival of more U.S. Army troops under the new XXIV Corps headquarters to reinforce the marines in the northern province, Khe Sanh was abandoned.
Tet proved a major military defeat for the communists. It had failed to spawn either an uprising or appreciable support among the South Vietnamese. On the other hand, the U.S. public became discouraged and support for the war was seriously eroded. U.S. strength in South Vietnam totaled more than 500,000 by early 1968. In addition, there were 61,000 other allied troops and 600,000 South Vietnamese.
The Tet Offensive also dealt a visibly severe setback to the pacification program, as a result of the intense fighting needed to root out VC elements that clung to fortified positions inside the towns. For example, in the densely populated delta there had been approximately 14,000 refugees in January; after Tet some 170,000 were homeless. The requirement to assist these persons seriously inhibited national recovery efforts.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember SOLDIERS FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY. ALSO, THE VIETNAMESE ARMY AND GOVERNMENT.
Memories ATTACHED TO FORWARD ARMY UNITS TO ESTABLISH AUDIOVISUAL COMMUNICATIONS TO SOUTHERN VIETNAM. RADIO AND BROADCASTING. WAS UNDER CONSTANT DETERMINATION OF NORTH VIETNAM, AND VIETCONG.
HONORED BY THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WITH A PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDAL FOR BRING RADIO, TELEVISION AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS TO SOUTH VIETNAM DURING THE THREE YEARS OF DUTY, 1967, 68, AND 1969.