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Personal info

Full name
ROE, Ernest Daniel Jr
Date of birth
25 September 1912
Age
32
Place of birth
Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington
Hometown
Klickitat County, Washington

Military service

Service number
O1018106
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
unknown
Unit
I Company,
3rd Battalion,
41st Armored Infantry Regiment,
2nd Armored Division
Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
4 January 1945
Place of death
In the vicinity of Beffe, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Plot Row Grave
F 16 23

Immediate family

Members
Ernest D. Roe (father)
Nellie R. (Wyatt) Roe (mother)
Elsie L. Roe (sister)
Ronald E. Roe (brother)
Elmer Roe (brother)
Mildred R. Roe (wife)

More information

2nd Lt Ernest D. Roe Jr. enlisted in Tacoma, Washington on 7 July 1942.

He attended high school for 4 years and was a salesman before he enlisted.

He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery in Fosse, Belgium.

Lt. Roe was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously for distinguishing himself during actions near Celles, Belgium on 25 December 1944. When the enemy launched a heavy counterattack against their positions, the platoon of Lt. Roe could beat back this attack thanks to the excellent positions which had been chosen for them by Lt. Roe. The force under his command was only 15 men, where the Germans used 100 men and lost 56 of them as casualties due to the accurate fire.

Lt Roe placed his life in jeopardy constantly during this counterattack by exposing himself to small arms and machine gun fire of the enemy, so that he could better direct the fire of the defensive forces. The attack was broken up primarily beacuse of the aggressiveness and leadership of Lt. Roe.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / Heil Martin Vail Family Tree, The Goldendale Sentinel March 22, 1945

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, The Goldendale Sentinel March 22, 1945