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                    bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Roster Hub > Roster Ri-Rz, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 10 May 2025
​                     Part 30/38 of the Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 16 "Ri-Rz" records
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† Riddle, Carl William, SN 648-73-55, US Navy, Pott Co.
  • b. 7 Dec 1920 Bloomington, McLean Co., IL; s/o George W. Riddle (b. Illinois) & Maude E. Gaines (b. Tazewell Co., IL); parents separated; mother and Carl moved to Co. Bluffs late 1930s.
  • entered service 16 Nov 1942 from Co. Bluffs; next of kin mother, Mrs. Maude Ellen Riddle, 1706 Ave. F, Council Bluffs, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
  • Destroyer USS Cooper (DD 605); KIA 3 Dec 1944 off west coast of Leyte, Philippines; Cooper sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedo; 191 died, 168 survived.
  • Battle of Ormoc Bay - Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War.
 
† Rihner, John Jerome, SN 37-422-955, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • b. 24 Dec 1915 Washington Twp., Harrison Co.; s/o John Rihner (b. Pleasant Twp., Pott Co.; d. 1932) & Anna Marie Seversen (b. Iowa; d. 1928).
  • married Cleal N. Taylor of the Omaha/Co. Bluffs area.
  • entered service 7 Nov 1942; service credited to Shelby Co.; buried 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 (b. Lancaster Co., NE) & Carrie W. Elkins (b. Fremont Co.); family moved from Nebraska to Cincinnati Twp., SW of Modale, Harrison Co. 1937 and to NW of Modale 1944.
  • 1944 Modale High School graduate.
  • entered service 16 Sep 1944 from Rt. 1, Mondamin, Harrison Co.; service credited to Harrison Co.; buried 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 (b. Harrison Co.) & Sarah M. Barrett (b. Shelby Co.); parents divorced; mother married Rev. Judson T. Perkins Jul 1944.
  • entered service 31 Jan 1943 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried 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 with pilot Louis Stengl; KIA 17 Aug 1944 over Ploesti, Romania, aircraft fell SE of target area; crew of ten all died.
  • The MTO > MTO Air War.
 
† Ripley, William Louis, SN 0-424-680, US Army Air Force, Mills Co.
  • b. 3 Apr 1917 Logan, Harrison Co.; s/o Louis E. Ripley, a Methodist minister (b. Fremont Co.; d. 1943) & Viola Carter (b. Page Co.; d. 1924); father married Mabel McCrary Aug 1927; family lived in Shenandoah, Page Co. & Emerson, Mills Co., moving to Des Moines in early 1940s.
  • lived in Loveland, Larimer Co., CO in Oct 1940.
  • entered service 30 Dec 1940 from Shenandoah, Page Co.; married Harriett Runge 1943 in Mason Co., TX; body not recovered; cenotaph 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.

† 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 (b. Montgomery Co.) & Mary C. Borsdorf (b. Clay Co.).
  • entered service 3 Apr 1942 from Rt. 4, Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; service credited to Montgomery Co.; buried St. Marys Cem., Red Oak.
  • 358th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, First Army; WIA 23 Jul 1944 north 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 (b. Poweshiek Co.) & Mary T. Fitzgerald (b. Co. Bluffs).
  • entered service 9 Aug 1940 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • 787th Tech. School Sqdn., Lincoln Army Air Base, Lancaster Co., NE; d. 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 (b. Douglas Co., IL) & Nina K. Swanson (b. Warren Co., IL).
  • married Helen Virginia Lainson of Co. Bluffs, one child, divorced; married Pauline I. Anderson 1942.
  • entered service 18 Apr 1942 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried 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 with pilot Norman O. Overholt; KIA 10 Sep 1944 near Glinzendorf ten miles east of Vienna, Austria; aircraft 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, both b. Co. Bluffs.
  • married Norma R. Boyer of Co. Bluffs Nov 1943 in California.
  • entered service 28 Mar 1943 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried 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 with pilot Jacob E. "Jack" Wondaal, en route from Nadzab, New Guinea to Port Moresby, New Guinea; DNB 19 Feb 1945, aircraft crashed near Waa, New Guinea; seven died, radio operator survived.
  • Air Force War with 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), both b. Harrison Co.; 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, Harrison Co.; service credited to Harrison Co.; buried 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, both b. Mills Co.; parents divorced; mother married Alfred Elmore Mar 1932 in Sarpy Co., NE and moved to Co. Bluffs.
  • entered service 17 Feb 1944 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Memorial 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 (b. Fairview Twp.) & Lillie McKenzie (b. Plumas Co., CA); family moved to Benton Twp., Cass Co. NE of Atlantic in late 1920s.
  • entered service 18 Mar 1943 from Rt. 3, Atlantic, Cass Co.; service credited to Cass Co.; buried 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 (b. Silver City, Mills Co.) & Flora E. Van Doren (b. Nebraska); family moved to rural Tabor, Green Twp., Fremont Co. about 1935 and returned to Council Bluffs in the early 1940s.
  • entered service 8 Dec 1942 from Tabor, Fremont Co.; next of kin parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rommel, 10 Charles St., Council Bluffs, IA; buried Natl. Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI.
  • Co. E, 6th Marine Regt., 2nd Marine Div.; KIA 27 Nov 1943 Buariki Is., Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands.
  • 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 with my 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 (b. Germany; d. 1937) & Louise Heesch (b. Scott Co.; d. 1943); mother and the younger children moved from Pleasant Twp. to Avoca, Pott. Co. in the late 1930s.
  • married Nona M. Ernst Oct 1942 in Sarpy Co., NE.
  • entered service 23 Mar 1942; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Graceland Cem., Avoca, Pott. Co.
  • Co. G, 358 Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div., XX Corps, Third Army; KIA 6 Dec 1944 Pachten, near Dillingen, on Saar River, north of Saarlautern (now Saarlouis), Saarland, Germany.
  • The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Third Army.
  • Notes: The 358th Inf. Regt. crossed the Saar River on 6 December 1944 against heavy enemy fire and continued advancing into 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), both b. Clarinda, Page Co.; family moved to Creston, Union Co. before 1925; father moved to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in early 1940s, married Gertrude H. Lockwood, and d. 1946.
  • unknown service entry data; next of kin parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Duff Ross, 303 Valley, Red Oak, IA; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
  • Patrol Sqdn. VP-54; Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina BUNO 04403 radio operator with pilot Walter Howell Cummings; d. 15 May 1943; aircraft disappeared on routine night patrol from Guadalcanal; crew of 12 died.
  • South & SW Pacific > Solomon Is., Guadalcanal.

† Ruff, Paul Russell "Russell", SN O-307354, US Navy, Wapello & Polk Cos.
  • b. 8 Jan 1910 Ottumwa, Wapello Co.; s/o Edward M. Ruff & Minnie M. Hammes, both b. Burlington, Des Moines Co.; family remained in Ottumwa.
  • 1931 Grinnell College graduate; taught & coached in Greenfield, Adair Co., Villisca, Montgomery Co. and Atlantic, Cass Co. before moving to Lincoln High School, Des Moines; married Marion Ellis of Jackson Co. Aug 1939 at Maquoketa, Jackson Co.
  • entered service 23 Aug 1943 at Des Moines with Ottumwa, Wapello Co. listed as permanent address; buried Ottumwa Cem.
  • Minesweeper USS Valor (AMc-108) Executive Officer, assigned to 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 died from crew of 18.
  • WWII Germany > Battle of the Atlantic.
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