Roster Ri-Rz

15th Air Force over Ploesti

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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Roster Hub > Roster Ri-Rz, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 29 Oct 2025
 Part 35/46 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.
WWII Japan > Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War @ Battle of Ormoc Bay

† Rider, Albert Levi, SN 20-705-541, US Army, Adams Co.

b. 12 Mar 1917 Nodaway, Adams Co.; s/o Leon Wakeman Rider (b. Herkimer Co., NY) & Louise M. Kernan (b. rural Nodaway, Adams Co.).
married Marie Hair of Bridgewater, Adair Co. Jun 1941 at St. Louis, MO.
entered service 19 Feb 1941 from rural Nodaway, Adams Co.; service credited to Adams Co.; buried Nodaway Cem., Adam Co.
Co. F (Villisca), 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., II Corps; KIA 28 Apr 1943 Hill 609, Tunisia, North Africa
WWII Germany > The MTO > North Africa > Tunisia @ Battle of Hill 609

† Ridnour, Oren Ellis/Ellsworth, SN 37-071-549, US Army, Taylor & Adams Cos.

b. 31 Dec 1908 New Market, Dallas Twp., Taylor Co.; s/o John William Ridnour (b. rural Clarinda, Page Co.) & Elizabeth Blanche Leighton (b. Dallas Twp., Taylor Co.); family lived in NW Taylor Co., moving from Dallas Twp. to Washington Twp. in the early 1920s and to Holt Twp. in the 1930s.
entered service 28 Jun 1941 from Rt. 1, Corning, Adams Co.; service credited to Adams Co; buried Normandy American Cem., Colleville-sur-Mer, Calvados Dept., Normandy, France; cenotaph Dallas Center Cem., New Market, Taylor Co.
Co. G, 36th Armored Inf. Regt.; 3rd Armored Div., XIX Corps, First Army; KIA 30 Jun 1944 NE of St. Lo, Manche Dept., Normandy, France.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Normandy Campaign > Normandy, Jun 1944 @ Villiers-Fossard Salient

† 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., VIII Corps, First Army; KIA 3 Sep 1944 Brittany, France.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Liberation > Brittany, Aug–Sep 1944

† 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., Eighth Army; KIA 12 Apr 1945 Cebu Island, Philippines, bullet wound.
WWII Japan > 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.
WWII Germany > 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 Dept. Normandy, France; DOW 24 Jul 1944.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Normandy Campaign > Normandy, Jul 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, Moselle Dept., 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.
WWII Germany > 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.
WWII Japan > 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., XI Corps, Sixth Army; KIA 31 Mar 1945 near Shimbu Line, Central Luzon, Philippines; radio operator hit by shrapnel from nearby artillery burst.
WWII Japan > Philippines Liberated > Luzon @ Shimbu Line

† 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.
WWII Germany > The ETO > To the Rhine > Ops. Veritable/Grenade @ Operation 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.
WWII Germany > 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.
Local History Note: brother of Margaret (Rommel) Bertelsen Winkler, former Big Pigeon area rural schoolteacher.
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.
Military Note: Max Rommel died, along with Ralph Paulson of Story Co. and others, in what I believe was the last action on the last day of the Battle of Tarawa.
WWII Japan > Central Pacific > Gilbert Islands @ Battle of Tarawa

† 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.
Military Note: 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.
WWII Germany > The ETO > Lorraine-Alsace Fall 1944 > Lorraine/Third Army

† 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.
WWII Japan > Solomon Islands > 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.
Executive Officer of minesweeper USS Valor (AMc-108), 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 (DE-342); nine died from crew of 18.
WWII Germany > Battle of the Atlantic

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