PFC Robert Marion Rogers Obituary

Private First Class Robert Marion Rogers

World War II

US Marine Corps
28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division
Service Number:
Born: June 6, 1926
Inducted: December 1943
Died: March 6, 1945, Iwo Jima
Buried: Glen Cemetery

Son of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Rogers of Shaw.

Glen Chapel Cemetery

Eastern Colorado Plainsman, Hugo, Colorado -- April 27, 1945

Three North County Boys Were Killed In Action

    Three more of our boys are war casualties, according to telegrams sent to their parents the past week. The boys are from the north part of Lincoln county. Pfc. Robert M. Rogers of Shaw was killed in the Iwo Jima campaign, Sgt. Johnny Knutson of Genoa lost his life in the Philippines and T/Sgt. William Edwin Davis of Arriba gave his life far inside of Germany.

(Following the opening paragraph are individual stories about T/Sgt. Davis and Sgt. Knutson, with photos, then the following, with the photo reproduced above.)

    Mr. and Mrs. William F. Rogers of Shaw received a message Tuesday of last week from the commander of the Marine Corps, Washington, D. C., informing them of the death of their son, Pfc. Robert M. Rogers, killed in the Iwo Jima campaign. While there was little information in the message the parents were aware that their boy was among the first of the marines on Iwo Jima and had been right with the boys who had planted the flag atop Mt. Suribachi on the volcanic island (see picture elsewhere in this paper).

    The message read as follows:
    "Wm. M. Rogers,
    "Shaw, Colo.

    "Deeply regret to inform you that your son, Pfc. Robert M. Rogers, USMCR, was killed in action at Iwo Jima Volcanic Island in the performance of his duty and service of his country. Remains reported buried at plot I, row 23, grave IIII of the Fourth Marine Division cemetery at Iwo Jima. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy. Letter follows.
        "A. A. VANDERGRIFT,
        "General, USMC, Commander
         "of Marine Corps."

    Robert was 18 years old and a native of the Shaw district. He enlisted in Denver in December, 1943, and had his boot training at the U. S. Naval Training Station at San Diego. He went overseas in September, 1944.

    Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have another son, Pfc. Harold Frank Rogers, 24, who is somewhere east of the Rhine in Germany with an anti-aircraft division.

Credits:

Glen Cemetery photograph by Arlene Glenn.
Plainsman newsclip provided by Terry Blevins.