Robert John ‘Bob’ Menzner was born and raised in Marathon, WI, the son of Phillip and Cecelia (Kopf) Menzner. He graduated from Campion Jesuit High School and attended Marquette University for two years prior to his appointment to West Point by Congressman Mel Laird, representing Wisconsin’s 7th District. His brother-in-law, Jack McDonald, a Korean War veteran and West Point Class of 1949, was a big influence on Bob’s decision to attend the Academy.
Bob’s maturity and easy-going Midwestern manner made him a natural leader at West Point. He was respected widely and had a great sense of humor. His mellow baritone voice complemented the Catholic Choir. Bob was dependable and seemed likely to succeed at whatever he set out to do, and he did. Well, almost.
Sam Kelley, classmate, related that, during the summer of cow year, he and Bob were assigned as squad leaders to Beast detail. Among Bob’s new cadets was a young man named Dick Cacioppe. One afternoon, Bob and Sam were performing a uniform inspection. When Bob inspected Dick, he found that his fly had a button undone. Bob proceeded to chew the young man out and ended it by saying that if he caught him with his fly unbuttoned again he was going to cut it off. Mr. Cacioppe blanched, his eyes got very big, and he asked, “The button, Sir? Needless, to say the whole room erupted into laughter, order was lost, and the new cadets were dismissed and sent out to the formation with Bob and Sam following and laughing pretty hard themselves.
Following graduation, Bob married the love of his life, Grace Serwas, in Oshkosh, WI. As Bob said in the 30th reunion yearbook, “Life after West Point started on June 25, 1960, the date Grace and I were married.” His roommates remember Bob extolling ‘Gracie’s’ virtues and his love for her.
After completing Airborne and Ranger Schools at Fort Benning, GA, and the Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK, Bob continued at Fort Sill assigned to the 214th Field Artillery Group. He served there for three years with his ex-roommate, Frank ‘Buck’ Bochnowski. Two of his family’s four children, Philip and Jeffry, were born while he was stationed at Fort Sill.
In 1963 Bob and his family were transferred to Geissen, Germany, where Bob was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 79th Artillery as battery commander. Bob and Grace’s daughter Kristin was born while there.
In August of 1966 the family was sent to Fort Lewis, WA, where Bob served as battalion S3 in the 6th battalion, 32nd Artillery. His unit deployed to Vietnam in March of 1967. While there Bob served both as battery commander and battalion S3, was promoted to major, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
Upon completion of his tour in March 1968, Bob’s love for his wife and family became his first priority. He decided he had had enough family separation, resigned his commission, and moved to his hometown, Marathon, WI, where he took over the family’s 110-year-old lumber business. Their fourth child, daughter Cindy, was born in Marathon.
Bob was the third generation of Menzners to run the family business. Under Bob’s leadership the company evolved from a small-town sawmill and retail center to a high-volume millwork manufacturer with support facilities in Mississippi and South Carolina. Bob retired on October 31, 2000.
Bob was active in his community, serving for 17 years on both the Marathon School Board and the board of directors for the Marathon State Bank. He was also a member of the American Legion Alois Dreikosen Post 469 and the Lions Club. Bob loved to spend time outdoors with friends and family. He particularly enjoyed time at the family summer home on Trout Lake and winters in Marco Island, FL. His interests included fishing, hunting, wood carving, playing cribbage, and trap shooting.
Bob was an outgoing and friendly person. As a cadet, he loved “sack” time on Saturday afternoons, movies on Saturday evenings, and regularly calling ‘Gracie.’ He loved to ski and taught his roommate Joe Stehling how to put his skis into the snowplow position and head downhill. He made friends easily and did not make enemies. Bob Menzner truly lived by lessons learned at West Point: Duty, Honor, Country.
Be Thou at Peace good friend.
— Classmates and Roommate Joe Stehling