Ploesti, 15th AF
15th Air Force over Ploesti
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Roster > Roster Records > Roster Q-R, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 1 Ocg 2023
​Part 18/24 of Big Pigeon's Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 31 "Q-R" names.
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† Querry, Miles Junior, SN 316-85-21, US Navy, Harrison Co.
  • b. 12 Apr 1923 Missouri Valley, Harrison Co.; s/o Doc A. Querry & Margaret A. Smith (d. 1927); entered service 11 Dec 1941 from Missouri Valley. 
  • Fleet Tug USS Vireo (AM-52); KIA 15 Oct 1942 off San Cristobal, SE of Guadalcanal, Solomon Is.; Japanese air attack on Vireo and  destroyer USS Meredith (DD-434); Vireo damaged and crew transferred to Meredith; Meredith sank;, 237 crew from Meredith and Vireo died; the abandoned Vireo survived intact and was later retrieved; South & SW Pacific > Solomons Sea War; BNR.
  • Notes: A second USS Meredith (DD-726) sank off Normandy on 9 Jun 1944 from a German mine and horizontal bomber attack.

 † Rannells, Robert Vance, SN 17-065-979, US Army Air Force, Harrison & Crawford Cos.
  • b. 9 Dec 1918 rural Dunlap, Boyer Twp., Crawford Co.; s/o William C. Rannells (d. 1938) & Adah P. Crow, long-term residents of Boyer Twp.; student at Iowa State College; entered service 15 Nov 1942 from Ames, Story Co., service credited to Harrison Co.; m. Virginia Lynch 7 Mar 1943.
  • 873th Bomb. Sqdn., 498th Bomb Gp., XXI Bomber Cmd., Twentieth Air Force, based at Tinian, Mariana Is.; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #42-24614 Joltin' Josie radio operator w/ pilot Wilson C. Currier Jr.; KIA 1 Apr 1945, aircraft exploded after takeoff and crashed into Magicienne Bay on nearby Saipan, crew of eleven all died;  Japan Overpowered > Strategic Air War - Japan; BNR

​† Rasmussen, Harley Norman, SN 37-691-442, US Army, Audubon & Guthrie Cos. (WWII-RasmussenHarley)
  • b. 19 Nov 1924 Audubon; s/o Carl J. Rasmussen & Clara Lund; family moved to Guthrie Co. in early 1930s; entered service 1 Mar 1944 from Guthrie Center; bur. Exira Cem., Audubon Co.
  • Co. D, 18th Inf. Regt., 1st Inf. Div., VII Corps, First Army; DOW 26 Nov 1944 Germany; The ETO > War of Attrition > Rhineland 1944 > Queen/Hürtgen.

† Ratigan, Michael Dennis Jr., SN 37-035-643, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 9 Oct 1917 Panama, Shelby Co.; s/o Michael Dennis Ratigan Sr. (d. 1917) & Catherine V. Hannan (d. 1921).
  • 6th Armored Inf. Bn., 1st Armored Div., II Corps; KIA 15 Feb 1943 near Sidi Bou Zid, Tunisia; Battle of Sidi Bou Zid - The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia; BNR.
 
† Rauterkus, Robert Richard, SN 37-483-565, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 19 Dec 1913 Co. Bluffs; s/o Joseph C. Rauterkus & Mary T. Howarth of Co. Bluffs; m. Iris B. Clark of Oakland, Pott. Co. 1938; bur. Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • 48th Armored Inf. Bn., 7th Armored Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 21 Jan 1945 near Born, N of St. Vith, Belgium; The ETO >  Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Eliminated.
 
† Reed, Lawrence Elmo, SN 37-194-285, US Army Air Force, Cass Co.
  • b. 28 Jul 1914 Elliott, Montgomery Co.; s/o Ernest E. Reed & Anna D. Barr (div. 1928); family moved to rural Griswold, Cass Co. bef. 1925; living with brother-in-law Edward Carl Smith in Wright Twp., Pott. Co. in 1930 & 1940; entered service 6 May 1942 from Griswold; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • 342nd Bomb. Sqdn., 97th Bomb Gp., Fifteenth Air Force; stationed at Depienne, SW of Tunis, Tunisia; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-5875 ball turret gunner w/ pilot Holmes Elmore; KIA 27 Nov 1943 near Urbino, SW of Rimini, Italy; plane lost engine while bombing railroad yards in Rimini, fell out of formation, attacked by enemy fighters, and went down; four dead, six POW; The MTO > MTO Air War. 

† Reestman, Milton Herman, SN 0-675-002, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 18 May 1918 East St. Louis, St. Clair Co., IL; s/o Herman Reestman & Elsie C. Hansen; family moved to Co. Bluffs bef. 1920; enlisted 28 Jan 1941 from Los Angeles Co., CA, service credited to Pott. Co.
  • 823th Bomb. Sqdn., 38th Bomb. Gp., Fifth Air Force, based at Durand Air Field, Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea; North American B-25 Mitchell #42-64810 navigator w/ pilot George R. Gable Jr.; KIA 2 Feb 1944, Coral Sea off Port Moresby, New Guinea; Gable's plane disappeared carrying seven while searching for B-25G-1 #42-64881 which had earlier disappeared carrying eleven on a flight from Townsville, Australia to Port Moresby; US Air Force War w/ Japan > Fifth Air Force; BNR.
 
† Reifschneider, Donald Walter, SN 37-490-340, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 1 Aug 1913 Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; s/o Gottlieb Reifschneider & Mary Nazarene; m. Charlotte L. Wheeler 1936, one child; entered service Feb 1944 from Red Oak.; bur. Henri-Chapelle Amer. Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • Hq. Co., 3rd Bn., 26th Inf. Regt., 1st Inf. Div., VII Corps,First Army; KIA 30 Dec 1944 near Bütgenbach, Belgium; Battle of Elsenborn Ridge - The ETO > Ardennes/The Bulge > The Bulge Contained.

† Reinig, Walter Henry, SN 37-035-972, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 13 Jan 1918 rural Portsmouth, Shelby Co.; s/o Mathias J. Reinig & Mary E. Nollen; family moved to Harlan, Shelby Co. in late 1940s & parents moved to Omaha in early 1940s; entered service 12 Mar 1941 from Harlan; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • 7th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 31 Jan 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; The MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio.
 
† Renteria, Martin, SN 37-261-777, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 8 Sep 1921 Ranger, Eastland Co., TX; s/o Paul Renteria & Benancia Reo, raised in Co. Bluffs; entered service 16 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. I, 120th Inf. Regt., 30th Inf. Div.; WIA 1 Aug 1944 near St. Lo, Normandy, France; DOW 17 Aug 1944 in hospital, England; The ETO > Liberation > Normandy.
 
† Rethmeier, William F. "Jack", SN 37-663-816, US Army, Crawford Co.
  • b. 28 Feb 1912 Harlan, Shelby Co.; s/o William E. H. Rethmeier & Effie May Schlensig, both b. Shelby Co.; raised in Boyer Twp., Crawford Co.; entered service 9 Mar 1943 from Rt. 3, Dunlap; bur. Pleasant Hill Cem., Dunlap.
  • Co. H, 179th Inf. Regt., 45th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; DOW 30 May 1944 near Campoleone, S of Rome, Lazio, Italy; Breakout from Anzio Beachhead - The MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Reynolds, Elmer Dale, SN 37-483-681, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 8 Dec 1917 Co. Bluffs; s/o Harry P. Reynolds (d. 1924) & Alice P. Anderson of Co. Bluffs; ss/o John J. Carroll Sr.; entered service 13 Jul 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. K, 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div.; KIA 16 Aug 1944 near St. Tropez, southern France; Operation Dragoon - The ETO > Liberation > Southern France.
 
† Reynolds, Wayne Calbert, SN 564-07-41, US Navy, Cass Co.
  • b. 29 Aug 1925 Des Moines; s/o Frank I. Reynolds & Leatha O. Wolfkill; family moved to Lewis, Cass Co. in early 1930s & to California in summer 1942; entered service 28 Oct 1942; bur. Oakwood Cem., Lewis.
  • served in Pacific Theater on USS Medusa (AR-1) & USS Hinsdale (APA-120); d. 2 Sep 1945 Sarpy Co., NE; cause unknown.

† Rhoads, Guy Benjamin, SN 648-06-39, US Navy, Custer Co., NE
  • b. 4 Mar 1918 Cozad, Dawson Co., NE; s/o John C. Rhoads & Rose M. Sprague (d. 1935); lived in rural Calloway, Custer Co., NE; relatives lived in Co. Bluffs.
  • Submarine USS Seawolf (SS 197); DNB 3 Oct 1944 off Morotai, Dutch Indies, S of the Philippines; Seawolf sunk by friendly fire, all 83 crew & 17 US Army passengers dead; Naval War with Japan > US Submarine Force; BNR.
 
† Rhoten, Roy Edward, SN 958-10-13, US Navy, Harrison Co.
  • b. 3 Nov 1926 Modale, Harrison Co.; s/o William E. Rhoten & Olive M. Fox, family lived at several locations in or near Harrison Co. before settling in Magnolia in the 1930s; entered service 11 Feb 1945 from Magnolia.
  • Cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35); KIA 30 Jul 1945 in the Philippine Sea en route from Guam to Leyte; Indianapolis sunk by Japanese submarine I-58; 879 died, 316 survived; Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets; BNR.
 
† Riddle, Carl William, SN 648-73-55, US Navy, Pott Co.
  • b. 7 Dec 1920 Bloomington, McLean Co., IL; s/o George W. Riddle of Illinois & Maude E. Gaines of Illinois & Co. Bluffs; entered service 16 Nov 1942 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Destroyer USS Cooper (DD 605); KIA 3 Dec 1944 off west coast of Leyte, Philippines; Cooper sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedo; 191 dead, 168 survivors; Battle of Ormoc Bay - Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR.
 
† Rihner, John Jerome, SN 37-422-955, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 24 Dec 1915 Washington Twp., Harrison Co.; s/o John Rihner (d. 1932) & Mary Olson (d. 1928); m. Cleal N. Taylor; entered service 7 Nov 1942; bur. Shelby Cem., Shelby Co.
  • Co. G, 116th Inf. Regt., 29th Inf. Div.; KIA 3 Sep 1944 Brittany, France; Battle of Brittany - The ETO > Liberation > Normandy.

† Ring, Clinton Ross, SN 37-752-270, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • b. 16 Mar 1926 Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE; s/o Joshua A. Ring & Carrie W. Elkins of rural Lancaster Co.; family moved from Nebraska to Cincinnati Twp., SW of Modale, Harrison Co. 1937 & to NW of Modale 1944; 1944 Modale HS; entered service 16 Sep 1944 from Rt. 1, Mondamin, Harrison Co.; bur. Cheney Cem., Lancaster Co., NE.
  • Co. C, 182nd Inf. Regt., Americal Div.; KIA 12 Apr 1945 Cebu Island, Philippines, bullet wound; Philippines Liberated > Southern Philippines.

† ​Rink, Paul Lloyd, SN 0-723-687, US Army Air Force, Pott. & Shelby Cos.
  • b. 26 Sep 1918 Co. Bluffs; s/o Ernest L. Rink & Sarah M. Barrett of Co. Bluffs (div.); ss/o Rev. Judson T. Perkins; entered service 31 Jan 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Shelby Cem., Shelby Co.
  • 742th Bomb. Sqdn., 455th Bomb. Gp., Fifteenth Air Force, based at San Giovanni, near Foggia, Apulia, Italy; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-78500 navigator w/ pilot Louis Stengl; KIA 17 Aug 1944 over Ploesti, Romania, plane fell SE of target area; crew of ten all died, body burned beyond identification; The MTO > MTO Air War.
 
† Ripley, William Louis, SN 0-424-680, US Army Air Force, Mills Co. (WWII-RipleyWilliamL)
  • b. 3 Apr 1917 Logan, Harrison Co.; s/o Louis E. Ripley, a Methodist minister (d. 1943) & Viola Carter (d. 1924); ss/o Mabel (McCrary) Ripley; family lived in Shenandoah, Page Co. & Emerson, Mills Co., moving to Des Moines in early 1940s; entered service 30 Dec 1940 from Shenandoah; m. Harriett Runge 1943 in Mason Co., TX; cenotaph in Farragut Cem., Fremont Co.
  • unit unknown; d. 27 Sep 1946 in crash of Consolidated Catalina over water near Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa Co., FL; three died from crew of 10; BNR.

† Roach, Frederick Vincent, SN 37-190-260, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 3 May 1914 SW of Red Oak, West Twp., Montgomery Co.; s/o George V. Roach & Mary C. Borsdorf; entered service 3 Apr 1942 from Rt. 4, Red Oak; bur. St. Mary’s Cem., Red Oak.
  • 358th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, First Army; WIA 23 Jul 1944 N of Periers & NW of St. Lo, Manche, Normandy, France; DOW 24 Jul 1944; The ETO > Normandy Campaign > Normandy, July 1944.

† Roarty, Paul Thomas, SN 17-004-319, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 3 Jul 1919 Co. Bluffs; s/o John J. “Bernard” Roarty & Mary T. Fitzgerald; entered service 9 Aug 1940 from Co. Bluffs; bur. St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • 787th Tech. School Sqdn., Lincoln Army Air Base, Lancaster Co., NE; DNB 8 Jul 1942 near Lincoln; auto accident.
 
† Robinson, William Brigham Haight, SN 0-673-901, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 30 May 1916 Co. Bluffs; s/o Roland P. Robinson & Nina K. Swanson of Co. Bluffs; m. Helen Virginia Lainson of Co. Bluffs (div.), one child; m. Pauline I. Anderson 1942; entered service 18 Apr 1942 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Lorraine American Cem., St. Avold, Lorraine, France.
  • 779th Bomb. Sqdn., 464th Bomb. Gp., Fifteenth Air Force, based at Pantanella, near Foggia, Apulia, Italy; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #44-41053 Black Mike bombardier w/ pilot Norman O. Overholt; KIA 10 Sep 1944 near Glinzendorf ten miles E of Vienna, Austria; plane hit by flak & exploded over target, eight (maybe six) died, two or four lived; The MTO > MTO Air War.
 
† Rockwell, Harold Ralph, SN 0-782-622, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 19 Mar 1922 Co. Bluffs; s/o Ralph R. Rockwell & Katherine J. Weiss of Co. Bluffs; m. Norma R. Boyer of Council Bluffs 1943; entered service 28 Mar 1943 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Cedar Lawn Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • 360th Service Gp., Combat Replacement Training Center, Fifth Air Force, based at Nadzab Air Field complex near Lae, NE New Guinea; on Douglas C-47B Skytrain/Dakota #43-16204 w/ pilot Jacob E. "Jack" Wondaal, en route from Nadzab, New Guinea to Port Moresby, New Guinea; DNB 19 Feb 1945, plane crashed near Waa, New Guinea; seven dead, radio operator survived; US Air Force War w/ Japan > Fifth Air Force.
 
† Rogers, Bernard Robert, SN 37-038-953, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • b. 23 Jan 1913 Pisgah, Harrison Co.; s/o Robert F. Rogers & Ethel F. McDunn (d. 1938), Harrison Co. natives; family lived in rural Pisgah, Harrison Co.; attended Wayne State College, Nebraska; worked as auto salesman in Woodbine, Harrison Co.; entered service 21 Jun 1941 from Woodbine; bur. Magnolia Cem, Harrison Co.
  • Co. B, 6th Engineering Combat Bn., 6th Inf. Div.; KIA 31 Mar 1945 near Shimbu Line, Central Luzon, Philippines; radio operator hit by shrapnel from nearby artillery burst; Philippines Liberated > Luzon.
 
† Rohrberg, Robert George, SN 37-490-420, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 29 May 1925 Silver City, Mills Co.; s/o Henry C. Rohrberg & Emma M. Spetman (div.); ss/o Alfred Elmore; entered service 17 Feb 1944 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Mem. Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. F, 13th Inf. Regt., 8th Inf. Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 23 Feb 1945 near Düren, North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany; The ETO > To the Rhine > Ops Veritable & Grenade.
 
† Rold, John Angus “Jack”, SN 0-2-007-132, US Army, Cass Co.
  • b. 12 Nov 1924 rural Avoca, Fairview Twp., Shelby Co.; s/o William A. Rold & Lillie McKenzie; family moved to Benton Twp., Cass Co. NE of Atlantic in late 1920s; entered service 18 Mar 1943 from Rt. 3, Atlantic; bur. Atlantic Cem.
  • Co. K, 276th Inf. Regt., 70th Inf. Div., XXI Corps, Seventh Army; DOW 8 Mar 1945 Forbach, near Saar River, Lorraine, France; The ETO > To the Rhine > Operation Undertone.
 
† Rommel, Max C., SN 510,622, US Marine Corps, Pott. & Fremont Cos.
  • b. 1 Sep 1923 Co. Bluffs; s/o Frank C. Rommel & Flora E. Van Doren; family moved to rural Tabor, Fremont Co. ~ 1935; entered service 8 Dec 1942 from Tabor; bur. Nat’l Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
  • Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Is.; Battle of Tarawa - Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands.
  • Local History & Family History Note: brother of Margaret (Rommel) Bertelsen Winkler, former Big Pigeon area rural schoolteacher; died w/ RAC's uncle's nephew Ralph Paulson of Ames, Story Co.
 
† Ronnfeldt, Roy Robert, served as Ronnefeldt, Roy R, SN 37-189-109, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 4 Jun 1919 Pleasant Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Charles W. Ronnfeldt (d. 1937) & Louise Heesch (d. 1943) of rural Avoca, Pott. Co.; m. Nora _____; entered service 23 Mar 1942; bur Graceland Cem., Avoca.
  • Co. G, 358 Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div.; KIA 6 Dec 1944 Pachten, near Dillingen, on Saar River, N of Saarlouis, Saarland, Germany; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine & Alsace 1944 > Lorraine/Third Army.
  • Notes: The 358th Inf. Regt. crossed the Saar River on 6 December 1944 against heavy enemy fire and continued advancing through the Siegfried Line until 21 December.  On 5 January 1945, the 90th Div. was relieved by the 94th Div. and transferred to the Ardennes.

† Ross, William Thomas, SN 620-23-62, US Naval Aviation, Union & Montgomery Cos.
  • b. 25 Jun 1921 Burlington, Des Moines Co.; s/o Thomas D. Ross & Frances E. Bayles (d. 1942); family moved to Creston, Union Co. bef. 1925 & father moved to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in early 1940s; entered service at unknown date; service credited to Montgomery Co.
  • Patrol Sqdn. VP-54; Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina BUNO 04403 radio operator w/ pilot Walter Howell Cummings; d. 15 May 1943; aircraft disappeared on routine night patrol from Guadalcanal; crew of 12 lost; South & SW Pacific > Guadalcanal; BNR.

† Ruff, Paul Russell "Russell", SN O-307354, US Navy, Wapello & Polk Cos. (WWII-RuffPaulR)
  • b. 8 Jan 1910 Ottumwa, Wapello Co. s/o Edward M. Ruff & Minnie M. Hammes of Ottumwa; Grinnell College graduate; taught & coached in Villisca, Montgomery Co. & Atlantic, Cass Co. before moving to Lincoln High School, Des Moines; m. Marion Ellis 1939 at Maquoketa, Jackson Co.; entered service 23 Aug 1943 at Des Moines w/ Ottumwa listed as permanent address; bur. Ottumwa Cem.
  • Minesweeper USS Valor (AMc-108) Executive Officer, based at Eastern Sea Frontier, Newport, RI; d. 29 Jun 1944 at southern reaches of the Cape Cod Canal; Valor struck by destroyer escort USS Richard W. Suesens; nine of crew of 18 died; Battle of the Atlantic.