PREGLER, Robert L.

Photo courtesy: John Pregler/Telegraph Herald

Walter G. Pregler, veteran of the Iowa National Guard GOVERNOR'S GREYS and "Black Jack" Pershing's 1916 Mexican Punitive Expedition to capture Pancho Villa, visits with his two sons and a son-in-law, all home on leave during World War II. From left to right Lieut. Robert L. Pregler, U. S. Merchant Marine; Raymond Healey, U.S. Navy Seabee; and John P. "Pete" Pregler, U. S. Marines. Photograph taken at Farley and Loetscher Manufacturing Company for the company magazine RESAW, circa 1944. This this point, Robert Pregler had served on three ships sunk or torpedoed by German U-boats in the North Atlantic losing comrades. Photo courtesy: John Pregler/Telegraph Herald

Photo courtesy: John Pregler

Pregler, Robert L. (Dubuque, IA, Jul 31, 1920 – Coon Rapids, MN, Dec 5, 2009). In 1942, Pregler became the first Iowan to graduate from the United States Maritime Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, Long Island. At the time of his commissioning, Pregler was awarded the Merchant Marine Service Bar from the War Shipping Administration in recognition of facing direct enemy action. Pregler served in the hazardous North Atlantic during WORLD WAR II guiding and protecting merchant ships taking war supplies to England under President Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease policy.

Pregler served for over six decades as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy regional recruiter for the state of Iowa.

After the war, Pregler put his engineering degree earned at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy to use, eventually becoming production manager of the Apple River Chemical Plant in East Dubuque, Illinois.

Robert L. Pregler is the older brother of Walter A. PREGLER and Gerald G. PREGLER and the son of Walter G. Pregler of Dubuque.

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Source

Pregler, John. e-mail, June 29, 2017