Ronald Roger Rohner
2nd Lt 0-803692 613th
California
1920 - 1944
Pilot onboard 42-37856 (Fancy Nancy III)
Margraten cemetery, Netherlands.
Plot : D , Row : 6 , Grave : 6.
Ronald was born Jun 6, 1920, Baker City, Oregon.
Enlisted in the US Army, National Guard, on March 3, 1941 at Camp Flint in Auburn, California.
He was attending Placer Junior College at the time but withdrew when the Guard became an active part
of the US regular army.
He was a member of Company E, 184th Infantry of the California National Guard.
In April 1942 he transferred to the US Army Air Corps.
He was commissioned May 28, 1943 after an intensive course of study, following specialized training
from engine pilot school at Columbus, Ohio.
He won his silver wings as pilot of a B17 and was sent overseas to a base in England in November 16, 1943.
His last mission, Jan 30, 1944, just before Target Brunswick, the plane was hit by a FW 190.
Unfortunately, Ronald was killed
Word of his death came from the German government through the International Red Cross in a telegram to
his mother in Auburn.
Ronald was buried on the cemetery of Ochsendorf on 1 Feb. 44.
Posthumous award of the Purple Heart was made in July 1944.
In 1944, when Ronald died on the age of 23 he left behind his family :
His father, Walter L Rohner, age 45
His mother, Arlene E Rohner, age 42
His sister, Kathleen J Rohner, age 20
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Lt. Ronald R. Rohner Crew
Standing L to R: Ray Surowski, John Morreale, Homer Arbogast, Cliff Barker. Kenneth Dickerson, Lowel Reif.
Kneeling L to R: Stanley Johnson, Emil Smetana, Ronald Rohner, Frank Leonard.
Taken at Redmond Oregon in final days of training.
Mission to Brunswick, germany, just before target the plane was hit by a FW 190 , German fighter.
Individual casualty questionaire
Told by S/Sgt Ray Lawrence Surowski , Engr / Top Turret.
- Name of crew member : Rohner , Ronald Roger.
- Rank : 2nd Lt.
- Serial number : 0-803692
- Position : Pilot.
- Did he bail out ? : No knowledge.
- Last contact just prior to loss of plane ? : Before Bailing out I saw Lt, Rohner alive and well.
- Was he injured ? : Not at that time.
- Where was he last seen ? : In plane at controls.
- Any explanation of his fate ? : It is my belief that plane exploded before Lt. Rohner could bail out.
- Total number of missions of above crew member ? : 5.
- Date and destinations if possible ? : Dec 31, 1943 Cognac , France
Jan 5, 1944 Tours , France
Jan 21, 1944 Notre Dame de Ferme , France
Jan 29, 1944 Frankfurt
Jan 30, 1944 Brunswick
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