Heroes: the Army
"...My father was reluctant to speak of his Army times except to express his undying loyalty and friendship with "Dutch" who called him every Christmas for 50 years without fail!..."
Heroes: the Army
"...My father was reluctant to speak of his Army times except to express his undying loyalty and friendship with "Dutch" who called him every Christmas for 50 years without fail!..."
John Daniel Roesner
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit: Co. F., 35th Division,
130th Field Artillery Regiment- Dates: 1942 - 1946
E.T.O. December 1944 - March 1946- Location: European Theater
- Rank: PFC
- Birth Year: 1927
- Entered Service: Flint, MI
Researching information regarding Dad -- John Daniel Roesner:
My father, John Daniel Roesner was from Flint, Michigan. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 1942 and rode the bus 62 miles to Detroit, Michigan. He was sent to Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan.
He was stationed in California (Western Defense Sector) with the 130th Field Artillery Battalion of the 35th Division. He was stationed at Camp Roberts, California, Camp Cooke, California, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Camp Gruber, Oklahoma.
He left for the E.T.O. from Camp Miles Standish on the Santa Rosa in December 1944. Arrived in France, December 1944. Joined up at Metz, France. Was shipped via 40&8 through Holland, and Belgium.
I (son, Earnest) have miniature statue of the "Manniken Piss" (The peeing boy) from Brussels along with photo's of "Dodd", "Bell", "Cracker", Frank Knutzen, and 2nd Lieutenant Richard Hanson. Also have a German knife taken from a German prisoner captured in France. Have photos with field gun buddies, "Sweeney" "Critch" "Parrish" and "Junior."!
Also [have] photo's from Paris with Ken Voight, and photo from LaHarve, France with Vincent Eboenoeh. [His] best buddy was William "Dutch" Brennen of Hutchinson, Kansas.
After V-E Day he was assigned as payroll and administration in France. [He] left La Harve, France in March 1946 aboard the "Victory Fayetteville." Landed in New York where the ship was hit by another. Discharged from Camp Atterbury in Indiana on April 1, 1946 (No fooling!)
[He] lived in Flint, Michigan his entire life retiring from General Motors A.C. Spark Plug where he worked before joining the service.
I enjoy seeing the stories of other's who served their country so valiantly.
My father was reluctant to speak of his Army times except to express his undying loyalty and friendship with "Dutch" who called him every Christmas for 50 years without fail!
I know he was not fond of French fighters, as he would grumble "Lost their own country twice and we had to get it back for 'em." Did not like Douglas McArthur! "Dugout Doug".
[He] always was bothered by cold weather, as his ear's and feet were susceptible to cold from his service time. Never spoke of his service, even when pressed. I had one time expressed an interest in going to Paris, Normandy, etc. and he had asked me, "Why in the hell do you want to go there? I was there, and all I wanted while I was there was to get the hell back here."
By reading the accounts of others I can begin to piece together some of what he must have experienced but never shared.
--- Ernest Roesner
Interested in some background information?
Check out the related links below...U. S. Army Divisions in World War II
History of the 35th Infantry Division "Santa Fe"
35th Div AEF 130th Field Artillery
Presenting the 35th Inf Div in World War II
Information regarding Mr. John Daniel Roesner was generously provided to World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words by the son of the subject of this story -- Mr. Ernest Roesner of Flint, Michigan.
Original Story submitted on 20 August 2002.
Story added to website on 27 August 2002.
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