Walter served as a Private First Class, 322nd Fighter Control Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fentress County, Tennessee prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 17, 1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm hand and also as Single, without dependents.
Walter was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Walter was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 34730907
Walter also has a Cenotaph in the Springs Chapel Cemetery, Banner Springs, Tennessee.
" Click Here " for that record. See family links there.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Walter served as a Private First Class, 322nd Fighter Control Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Fentress County, Tennessee prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 17, 1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm hand and also as Single, without dependents.
Walter was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.
The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.
1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.
Walter was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 34730907
Walter also has a Cenotaph in the Springs Chapel Cemetery, Banner Springs, Tennessee.
" Click Here " for that record. See family links there.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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