The Archive

Photographs

Portraits, gravestones, military service, and family gatherings — arranged by era, oldest first. Each one links back to a name on the family tree.

Nineteenth & early twentieth century

1719 – 1919
Heinrich Kratzer's German-inscribed tombstone
Heinrich Kratzer's tombstone, with a family translation alongside it
1719–1778
Philip Krotzer's headstone, Clarion County
Philip Krotzer's headstone
1763–1841
A cube-shaped monument inscribed Our Grandparents Krotzer, marking Philip Krotzer's own grave at Churchville Cemetery
Philip Krotzer's second grave marker, Churchville Cemetery
at Philip's grave
Clarion County Courthouse
Clarion County Courthouse
present day
Henry J. Krotzer, portrait
Henry J. Krotzer
1833–1909
Henry J. Krotzer with extended family in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, soon after the Civil War
Henry after the war — with family in Clarion Co., PA
soon after 1865
Duran Krotzer, young portrait
Duran Krotzer, before the Navy
c. 1910
The armored cruiser USS Montana
USS Montana, Duran's ship
c. 1911–1919
Laura May Chitwood, young portrait
Laura May Chitwood, before she became Laura Krotzer
before 1916

Mid-century

1919 – 1959
George Milton Krotzer, formal portrait
George Milton Krotzer
1919–1978
George Milton Krotzer in Navy uniform, beside a car
George, U.S. Navy
service years
Krotzer brothers, 1939
Krotzer Brothers
1939
Robert Keith Krotzer and Christine "Penny" Zurawka, wartime portrait
Robert & Penny, during the war
WWII era
Laura, Robert, and Duran, captioned Home from the War
"Laura, my Dad, Duran. Home from the War."
WWII era
Detroit newspaper clipping, Witnesses Japanese Formal Surrender, naming Robert K. Krotzer
"Witnesses Japanese Formal Surrender" — the Detroit papers pick up the story
2 Sept 1945
Card certifying Robert Keith Krotzer's presence aboard USS Pilotfish for the Japanese surrender, signed by Fleet Admiral Nimitz, Vice Admiral Lockwood, and Admiral Halsey
Signed by Nimitz, Lockwood, and Halsey — carried in his wallet ever after
2 Sept 1945
The wreck of USS Pilotfish, photographed underwater
The Pilotfish today — expended as a target ship in the postwar Bikini atomic tests, resting at about 80 feet
sunk postwar, Bikini Atoll
Robert Keith Krotzer and Christine Zurawka's wedding party
Robert & Christine's wedding party, 1946
1946
Easter 1959 at the Zurawka's
Easter, at the Zurawka's
1959
more to come —
this archive grows
as photos are added