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Robert George Kijowski
Staff Sergeant
A BTRY, 2ND BN, 13TH ARTILLERY, 23RD ARTY GROUP, II FIELD FORCE, USARV Army of the United States Dayton, Ohio August 29, 1944 to April 19, 1969 ROBERT G KIJOWSKI is on the Wall at Panel W26, Line 9 |
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Bob was a member of North Catholic High School Class of 1962. I was a classmate of Bob's during ninth grade in 1958-1959. After graduation Bob moved to Dayton, Ohio. I never saw him after 1962. I was with Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 13th Artillery, in April, 1969 at Phu Loi when I discovered Bob's name on a casualty list. The next week I was assigned to A Battery, the unit Bob served with at the time of his death in a mortar attack. There are Strange Rivers connecting us all. Rest in Peace, Bob. I always talk about you at the North Catholic Class of 1962 Reunions.
From a High School Classmate and Unit veteran, |
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Bob Kijowski left Pittsburgh to attend the University of Dayton (UD). He was my little brother in our local fraternity, Phi Beta Alpha, and was just an incredibly wonderful individual. He was always smiling and never hesitated to help anyone in need. He truly personified the statement "Hale Fellow Well Met." We always had a good time kidding each other about high school, as he attended North Catholic and I went to South Catholic, both of which were in Pittsburgh. He graduated from UD in 1966 and enlisted in the Army in 1967. The day before he shipped out, I had lunch with him and his former girlfriend and her mother, in their quarters on Wright-Patterson AFB. Her father was an Air Force Major General but Bob never asked for any special treatment when he received his draft notice. Bob's parents took his loss very hard, as he was their only child. The funeral was at St. Theresa's Church on Route 19. It is no longer a church but is now called the Great Hall and is used for receptions. Bob is buried in a very small cemetery that is across the street from the former church and behind the funeral home. Every time I visit Pittsburgh, I make it a point to visit his grave and say a few prayers. While Bob is not with us physically, he will never be forgotten by many of us.
From a fraternity Brother and friend, |
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Bob and I were members of Phi Beta Alpha Fraternity at the University of Dayton and served in Vietnam during the same time, he in the southern part of the country and I in the upper part. In fact I had arranged to see him in Bien Hoa the week he was killed. That's how I found out I had lost a great friend and Brother, I called down to him at his unit to make final arrangements to get together and was told he had died. A great friend and man died that day. I will miss him but not forget him.
From a college friend and fraternity Brother, |
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I went all the way through grade school (St. Teresa's - class of 1958), high school (North Catholic - class of 1962) and college (University of Dayton - class of 1966) with Bob. And I was Bob's fraternity brother (Phi Beta Alpha). I was a pallbearer for Bob at his funeral. I'll tell you the kind of person Bob was. The week before he shipped out, he he came to Dayton from Pittsburgh. He asked my mother if she wanted to ride along so she could visit me and my sister who lived in Dayton at that time. After his funeral we went to Bob's parents' house. I have never been in such an emotionally charged atmosphere as that. No one knew what to say to his parents, and they didn't know what to say to us. There are lots of reasons to be sad about losing Bob. His sense of humor, his drive, his willingness to pitch-in, his work ethic, his leadership, his attitude. The soldier who accompanied his body was with him when they were attacked and Bob was killed. Although we didn't want to hear it, he told us the details. Bob's paper route ended at my house, which is where mine started. So every day from 6th grade to 8th grade, Bob and I would meet at my house. Freshman year at North Catholic, Bob was the fastest runner of anyone trying out for football. He was an excellent baseball player. Senior year at North, Bob and I both had 1956 Chevy 4-door sedans. We would alternate driving to school. He would drive one week and I would drive the other. His Chevy was black and white and mine was green and white.
From a friend and fraternity brother, |
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I was assigned to the same unit as Bob, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 13th Artillery. We were also part of the famed 'Jungle Battery', which consisted of three 155mmm howitzers from the 197th Artillery and three howitzers of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 13th Artillery. The combined unit, called Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 13th Artillery (the 'Jungle Battery') provided support to the Special Forces which compiled intelligence on enemy troop movements along the Cambodian border and into South Vietnam. Bob and I spent nearly a year together dealing with the daily struggles of life in Vietnam and combat. He was a good guy, very quiet and he kept to himself during his tour. Like the rest of us he just wanted to go home. I left Vietnam the last week of March 1969, just several weeks before his death from a mortar attack. I found out about his death from a fellow Artilleryman and friend in our Unit who wrote me a letter after my return home. It has been 38 years since Bob died for our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice. I still remember him and my fellow soldier friends I served with as if it were just last week. I am one of the lucky Artillerymen of the 'Jungle Battery' who returned home and I now have beautiful grandchildren to hold and love. Some, like Bob, and many others from our Unit were not that lucky. I will never forget Bob and my time in Vietnam with him.
From a fellow artilleryman who served with Bob in Vietnam, |
A Note from The Virtual WallThe 19 April 1969 mortar attack on the "Jungle Battery's" position cost the lives of two men:
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