Orton Glen Krueger

My Dad, Orton was born in a Log Cabin near Niagara, in Marinette County, Wisconsin and across the border with Iron Mountain, Michigan to Otto Fredrick Carl Krueger and Anna Wells. He was named after his Uncle Orton, a Wisconsin cheese maker.

With two older sisters, Louise Mildred and Verna Ruth, he was the youngest child and only boy.

In 1934 the family moved to Silverton, Oregon where his father, Otto, worked for the “CCC” and helped build Silver Creek State Park. In 1937, the family moved to Port Orchard, buying the first house on our current driveway.

Dad graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1948 and the year 2023 marked 75 years since that graduation. Dad played football for South Kitsap and my Uncles Charles and Roger Schuettke (Mom’s brothers) played for Bremerton High School, the big rivals. The story goes that the boys （my Uncles） conspired to get my parents together.

He then went to Olympic Junior College in Bremerton for two years. With the Korean Conflict draft in place in 1950, Dad went to check on his status, found his number was third on the list, told the Army recruiter thanks, and joined the Navy on October 24th,1950.

Dad was on leave in 1951 when he asked my Mom, Christina Schuettke, to marry him. He figured he had better, or she would end up marrying someone else. They were married a few days later, on August 5,1951, and just about three weeks before she turned 21. This August 5th they would have celebrated 72 years of marriage.

He made a career out of the Navy. Retiring after a little over 20 years on December 31st,1970. Dad spent eight years enlisted, then went to Officers’ Training School in Rhode Island in order to receive his commission. He retired as a Lt. Commander. He was a Korean Conflict and Vietnam War Veteran. Dad used his leadership skills as a successful “Operations Officer” aboard ship and told me once that his talent was turning raw recruits into a team. He had two tours in Vietnam. First one aboard ship and the second one with the “River Patrol Force” as a Roving Ambassador. While on his second tour his first six months overlapped with my brother, Roger Zane’s last six months of the tour he had with the Army putting up radio towers. Dad’s second six months was cut short when he was injured, shot by “friendly fire” at a secret base in Laos. Dad’s actions on this second tour in Vietnam earned him the Bronze Star (the Citation and Personnel note details about the amazing work he accomplished in Vietnam is quoted at the end.）

In 1973 Dad joined Masons and Port Orchard Lodge #98. He was raised to a Master Mason on May 9, 1973 and lived long enough to receive his 50 year pin in May of this year. He is a Past Master of Port Orchard Lodge #98, having served as Master in 1982 and again in 2002. He was Grand Tyler in 1983, District Deputy to Past Grand Master Matt Martin in 1985-86, and Junior Grand Deacon in 1987. In 2012 Dad received the Hiram Award and in 2016 the Grand Master Achievement Award.

On January 22, 1981 he was initiated into the Order of the Eastern Star at Port Orchard Chapter #44, and was a 42 year member. Dad served as Worthy Patron with my Mom, Christina, in 1985 and again in 1997. Dad received the commission of Grand Representative of Minnesota in Washington in 2005 from PGM Marilyn Hoots. He served one more time as Worthy Patron, this time with Meg Shellenberger, in 2012.

After he retired from the Navy in 1970, Dad had a very successful twenty plus year career selling Real Estate, buying land, and building houses with my brother, Jim.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Christina, of 71 ½ years. Dad is survived by his daughter, Christine Krueger Wilkinson (Port Orchard, WA), sons, Roger Zane (Morton, WA) and James Orton (Mississippi), six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

COMMANDER
UNITED STATES NAVAL FORCES
VIETNAM

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the BRONZE STAR METAL to
ORTON GLEN KRUEGER
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER
UNTED STATES NAVY

For service as set forth in the following

CITATION

“For meritorious service while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam from 9 April 1968 to 20 February 1969. While serving as surface operations officer on the staff of Commander River Patrol Force (CTF 116), Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER distinguished himself through the outstanding initiative, enthusiasm and dedication he displayed in promoting the expansion and improvement of River Patrol Boat activities and clandestine SEAL operations. In addition to his regular duties he was tasked with the responsibility of overseeing several special projects including the development of a quiet fast boat to be used for SEAL insertions and the augmentation of River Patrol Boats in countering guerrilla activities. In December of 1968 Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER became CTF 116’s on scene representative for the SEA LORDS Rach Gia Campaign. This operation, which combined elements of Task Forces 115, 116, 117 and Vietnamese units, resulted in the successful interdiction of Communist infiltration into Kien Giang Province from Cambodia. Employing the experience gained at Bach Gia, Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER played an instrumental role in planning and coordinating other SEA LORDS operations also aimed at further blocking the flow of enemy and war material into the Delta. Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER’s devotion to duty and exemplary professionalism were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.

For the President

[signed]
E. R. Zumwalt, Jr.
Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy
Commander U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam
Personnel File Notes leading up to Citation, dated 7 March 1969:

As surface operations officer on the staff of Commander River Patrol Force from 9 April 1968 to 20 February 1969, Lieutenant Commander KRUEGER was tasked with the important job of planning, coordinating, and affecting the surface force activities including river patrols and SEAL operations. LCDR KRUEGER also performed as staff air observer which required him to gather strategic and tactical information for prospective patrol boat and SEAL team employment including personally observed data on enemy activity. He made numerous river patrols throughout the Delta to better understand the problems and difficulties encountered by PBR’s on the waterways of Vietnam and to observe at first hand the tactics and equipment employed by the PBRs.

LCDR KRUEGER was also assigned the responsibility for several special projects and missions which were handled in an exemplary manner. He was tasked with developing the silent outboard motor concept which later grew into the quiet fast boat program. The goal of this special program was to develop an improved method for quiet SEAL insertion and to enhance river patrol boat effectiveness in countering infiltration. LCDR KRUEGER was also placed in charge of test and evaluating the remote underwater detection device, an acoustic senor for locating sampans, junks, and other water craft breaking night curfew.

In December of 1968 LCDR KRUEGER became CTF 116’s on scene representative for the SEA LORDS Bach Gia Campaign. This operation with combined forces from CTF 115, 116, 117 and Vietnamese units was a highly successful attempt to interdict Communist infiltration into Kien Giang Province and deny the enemy the use of vital waterways. His role in the Bach Gia Campaign was to assist in joint coordination of river patrol efforts and maintain liaison with CTF 116 for the quick reolution of problems and difficulties arising. LCDR KRUEGER played an instrumental part in planning and organizing several Operation SEA LORDS Campaigns including the Vinh Te Canal and Operation BARRIER REEF. Throughout his duty in Vietnam LCDR KRUEGER displayed bold initiative and outstanding devotion to duty and thereby made an immeasurable contribution to the success enjoyed by the United States Naval Forces in Vietnam.

[signed] Authur W. Price, Jr. CAPT, COMRIVPATOR


BRONZE STAR MEDAL APPROVED 4/21/1969