William L. Rohde

William L. Rohde. July 12, 1907 - October 21, 1945. , Private First Class (PFC) William L. Rohde was born on Grand Island to Herman and Sophia Long Rohde. He was the oldest of 4 children and their only son. He enlisted in the Army in April 1942 at age 35., After serving briefly at several locations in the U.S., he was transferred to the remote Kiska post in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, in late 1943. He served as a radar technician. So close to Japan, this location was critical in defending the North Pacific, Canada, and the United States. Japan attacked Kiska in 1942 and held the small island until 1943., The war ended in September 1945. On October 21, 1945, PFC William L. Rohde and 8 others were onboard a plane returning to the United States, and crashed in the Aleutian Islands. Tragically, all on board perished., After temporary burial at Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, all 9 soldiers were returned to rest together in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, 1948.