10/23/1983
Senior Chief Engineman (SEAL/EOD) Robert R. Schamberger was born on 25 February 1946 in Kearny, New Jersey, to Emily and Rudolf Schamberger. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating high school in Franklin Lakes, NJ on 17 January 1966.
He graduated from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes in July 1966. He then served at Naval Aviation Training Command, NAS Pensacola from August 1966 until August 1967. He completed Underwater Demolition training in May 1968 and was ordered to Underwater Demolition Team 22 at Little Creek, Virginia and was subsequently transferred to SEAL Team TWO in July 1969. There he completed two tours of duty to Vietnam where he was seriously wounded. In November of 1977, he attended Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Indian Head, Maryland. After graduation, Senior Chief Schamberger reported for duty at the Naval Coastal Systems Center, Panama City, Florida until being transferred in September 1979 to the Chief of Naval Education and Training, Pensacola, Florida. In October 1980 he was selected for duty with a classified component of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO.
During his naval career, Senior Chief Schamberger received many awards including being selected as the U.S. Navy’s 1979 Ashore Sailor of the Year. His decorations include: Bronze Star with Combat “V”, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Two Navy Commendation Medals with Combat “V”, Navy Achievement Medal, Two Purple Hearts, Combat Action Ribbon, Three Presidential Unit Citations, Four Navy Unit Commendations, four Good Conduct Awards, Navy Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross), Republic of Vietnam (Civil Action), Republic of Vietnam Campaign medal, Expert Rifle and Expert Pistol award.
On 23 October 1983 as part of Operation URGENT FURY, Senior Chief Schamberger and other special warfare operators assigned to a joint special operations task force were sent to infiltrate the Caribbean island of Grenada by sea in the vicinity of Salinas Airfield and obtain time sensitive intelligence on the conditions of the airfield runway, the enemy’s strength and positions. Senior Chief Schamberger was killed in action while conducting the parachute insertion into the sea. His remains were never recovered.
I have some of senior chief schamberger’s paperwork and his seal cert. ive been looking for family to give it to and have been unable to find any. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
He was divorced at the time of his death and did not have any children. He did leave a sister, Georgia Payne (husband Jim) and two nephews, Scott J. Payne and Tracy James Payne. The sister and her husband would be in their 80s and the boys in their 50s. The family lived in Florida, in Bonita Springs at the time of ENCS Schamberger’s death. I found all of this information at newspapers.com. I found an article reporting on the memorial service held for him by his family. The newspaper is the News-Press, Fort Myers, Florida, Thursday, November 03, 1983. I did a people search and found the family with several contacts in Naples, FL. I hope you or the wounded warrior foundation person who replied to you earlier are able to find them and pass along these documents to his surviving family members.
Further research reveals that as of 2014, nephew Scott J. Payne was the only family member still living who would have been alive at the time of Robert’s death. Sister Georgia passed in 2014 (Source: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/16143174/georgia-payne) and nephew Stacy passed in a 2005 traffic accident. There were four great nephews and nieces as of 2014.
I am sure they would be greatful to receive any memories of him. Could you please send an email to Melissa Tackitt at Melissa@eodwarriorfoundation.org? Thank you for reaching out and have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!