ROBERT L. JUNGKLAS, LT, USN
Robert Jungklas '43
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
ROBERT LYONS JUNGKLAS
Saginaw, Michigan
"Midshipman Junklas, 4/c, sir!"—"Carry on, I'm your new wife." That was the start of three years together by the bay. It really has been three wonderful years. Savvy? His class standing shows that. Personality plus? Ask his multitude of friends. Hoiman's activities were numerous: plebe lacrosse, battalion lacrosse, press detail, and pep committee. His first love, the Reception Committee, gave him the rating of Battalion Chairman during first and second class years. Junk's three years here were divided between dragging queens and receiving visiting teams, and there is no doubt that he was successful in both fields of endeavor.
He was commander of 8th Company for the second set and a member of the lacrosse team.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
ROBERT LYONS JUNGKLAS
Saginaw, Michigan
"Midshipman Junklas, 4/c, sir!"—"Carry on, I'm your new wife." That was the start of three years together by the bay. It really has been three wonderful years. Savvy? His class standing shows that. Personality plus? Ask his multitude of friends. Hoiman's activities were numerous: plebe lacrosse, battalion lacrosse, press detail, and pep committee. His first love, the Reception Committee, gave him the rating of Battalion Chairman during first and second class years. Junk's three years here were divided between dragging queens and receiving visiting teams, and there is no doubt that he was successful in both fields of endeavor.
He was commander of 8th Company for the second set and a member of the lacrosse team.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
From Lansing State Journal on August 20, 1950:
Saginaw Pilot Dies in Crash
Tail of Plane Sheared Off In Mid-Air Collision
Quonset Point, R.I., Aug. 19 (AP) — The naval air station announced today that the fighter pilot killed last night in a landing accident was Lt. Robert L. Jungles, 31, of Saginaw, Mich.
He is survived by his wife; Mrs. June Reamy Jungklas, and a seven-month-old son, Robert L. Jungklas, Jr. of Saunderstown, R.I., his mother, Mrs. W. F. Jungklas of Saginaw, Mich., and a sister, Mrs. W. J. Fear of Parma, O.
He was born on June 14, 1919 at Saginaw, attended Bay City Junior college and the University of Michigan prior to his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939.
Lt Jungklas was attached to Fighter Squadron 74, which is based at Quonset.
As a formation of 16 planes broke up preparatory to landing, another plane sheared off the tail assembly of Jungklas' F4U Corsair. His plane crashed between two hangars at the side of the field's landing strip and he was thrown clear and killed instantly.
Other Information
From the Class of 1943 anniversary book "25 years later…":
Bob was born on 14 June 1919 in Saginaw, Michigan He was appointed from Michigan and entered the Academy on 1 September 1939. Upon graduation he reported to the battleship USS NORTH CAROLINA and saw combat action in the Pacific until he was detached to undergo flight training on 4 May 1944. Junk trained for his wings in Dallas, Texas and Pensacola, Florida. He received his wings in May 1945 after which he under went further training at Sanford, Florida and Glenview, Illinois. Bob served with Bomber Fighter Squadron EIGHTY and at the Naval Air Advanced Training Course.
Prior to attending Post Graduate Training at the USNA and MIT in Aeronautical Engineering (Armament) which he completed in June 1950. He reported to Fighter Squadron SEVENTY-FOUR at Quonset Point, Rhode Island and on 18 August 1950 was killed there in an aircraft accident. He wore the following medals: American Defense Service, American Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, China Service, Philippine Independence and WWII Victory Medal. Bob was survived by his wife June R. Jungklas who resided at 3122 North 19th Street, Arlington, Virginia at the time of his death. His sister Sarah Armand, his mother Mrs. Sara L. Jungklas lived at 1147 Cornelia Street, Saginaw, Michigan.
A memorial service was held at the Naval Academy on August 18, 1950.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
He married June Reamy 5/31/1949; their son was Robert L. His father was William Frederick Jungklas, lumber salesman, mother Sarah, sisters Mary Jane, Leona and Sally Ann. Mary Jane married Feahr, and she lived to be 100.
Robert is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Saginaw, MI.
Wartime Service
The pictures below are all courtesy of Battleship North Carolina. Much of Bob's wartime service was aboard USS North Carolina (BB 55); he reported aboard on September 2, 1942 and detached as a Lt(jg) on May 4, 1944.
Hawaii, 1943
L-R: Max Harnish '43, Joe Kriz '43, Bob Celustka '41, Bob Jungklas '43, Harry Lee Arnest '43
Arnest, Jungklas, Bud Evers
Jungklas, Arnest, Kriz
A village in Pango, Efate, New Hebrides. Lt(jg) Joseph A. Kriz, Lt(jg) Harry Lee Arnest Jr., and Lt(jg) Robert L. Jungklas with a group of villagers.
One of the other men pictured, Harry Lee Arnest, passed away in 2009.
Entry Note
Many thanks to Mary Ames Booker, curator, Battleship North Carolina, for her work on this page. She provided the pictures above, as well as locating the headstone application and article on Bob's loss.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
