WORLD WAR II
(P-R)
Charles A. Pace
Feb. 1, 1916 - unknown
From Roanoke. Attended Virginia Tech before the war. Served in the Coast Artillery Corps. Pace was captured by the Japanese and endured the Bataan death march. Was a passenger on an overcrowded prison ship that was sunk by American planes. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pace, and sister, Virginia Cook. Memorial stone erected in Evergreen Burial Park
-- Submitted by his cousin, Ruth Pace of Ridgeway
Harold R. Pace
March 17, 1926 - Feb. 23, 1945
From Bedford County. A plumber's assistant before the war. Served in the Army. Killed in Germany. Survived by his parents, Howard and Virgie Pace; brothers, Joseph, Clarence and George; sisters, Frances, Dorothy, Carleen, Emma Jean and Patricia; grandmother, Betty Moore. Buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Vinton.
-- Submitted by his sister Frances P. Allen of Hardy
Henry C. Pace
Eugene P. Pandlis
Jan. 2, 1925 - June 6, 1944
From Roanoke. Worked as a clerk for the Norfolk and Western Railway before the war. Served in the Army. Killed in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Survived by his parents, Lillie and John Pandlis; brothers, Edward, Melvin and Robert; sister, Christine. First buried at St. Laurent, France; later reinterred at Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke.
-- Submitted by his brother M.G. Pandlis of Vinton
Charles L. Parker
From Roanoke. Died March 8, 1944, in a North Carolina hospital of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Parker.
-- The Roanoke World-News
Marvin C. Parsons
Sept. 24, 1912 - Dec. 19, 1945
From Roanoke. Worked at St. Elizabeth Hospital before going to war. Served in the Army Air Forces. Declared dead after his plane did not return from its mission near New Guinea. Survived by his mother, Viola Parsons; brothers, Arthur and Earl; sisters, Ruby Hall, Rachel Flynn, Gladys Gunter and Evelyn Willis. Parsons' mother was notified of his death Dec. 22, 1945, and received only one of his medals. His sister Rachel wrote to the military after their mother died and received the rest of Parsons' medals 40 years after he had earned them.
-- Submitted by his sister Rachel Bishop of Moneta
Robert L. Patsel
Robert R. Patterson
Aug. 18, 1918 - 1945
From Roanoke. Worked at the Vinton Weaving Mill and the newspaper before the war. Served in the Navy. Was aboard the USS Lagarto when it hit a mine in the South China Sea. Survived by his wife, Lydia Patterson; mother, Elizabeth Patterson; sisters, Ruth Short, Margaret Ware, Marie Chitwood and Dorothy Moore; brothers, William and Raymond. Body never recovered. In September 1995, the family attended a memorial service in Groton, Conn., where a wall of honor was erected.
-- Submitted by his great-niece, Betsy Short of Roanoke
Huntington P. Paul
August 1923 - June 30, 1944
From Roanoke. A student before the war. Served in the Army. Killed when his squad was held up in front of a German machine gun near Couvains in Normandy, France. Paul took up a Browning automatic rifle to neutralize this gun. During the action, he was killed by an S mine. Survived by his father, John Paul; mother, Elizabeth G. Clark; brother, John Paul Jr.; half-sister, Johanna Paul. Buried at Woodbine Cemetery in Harrisonburg. Says his friend Malcolm W. Bryan: "I am not quite sure Hunt's father was ever able to cope with his death. He blamed himself for not extricating him from the National Guard, which he joined at age 15." Paul's commanding general wrote the family: "Sorry I can't give you better news, but this is a tough racket and a lot of people get hurt."
-- Submitted by a friend, Malcolm W. Bryan of Roanoke
Ernest C. Pauley
From Roanoke. Served in the Navy as a cook. Killed when the vessel he was aboard sank in the Solomon Islands on Aug. 9, 1942. Survived by his mother and stepfather, Viola Spangler and J.S. Spangler.
-- The Roanoke World-News and "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Robert V. Payne Jr.
From Roanoke. Went by the name "Junior." Served in the Army. Was engaged at the time of his death. Says a friend: "Even though I was small, I remember Junior today for his friendly and joking manner. He and my sister would sit on our front porch swing (we lived across the street from Jefferson High School, around the corner from Junior's parents), and Junior's favorite song was 'Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree with Anyone Else but Me.' He was such a nice-looking person that even a young girl of my age remembers him. Junior would sing this song to my sister over and over."
-- Submitted by a friend, Barbara Dunbar Lynch of Troy, Ohio Randolph M. Peale
John A. Peoples Jr.
1922 - Oct. 26, 1944
Enlisted in the Navy shortly after his 17th birthday. Served on the USS Suwannee. Died at sea in the Pacific.
-- Submitted by his sister, Geneva Peoples McAlister of Goodview
Fred C. Perdue
William G. Perdue
Aug. 1, 1923 - June 6, 1944
From Roanoke County. Worked for the Radford Arsenal before the war. Served in the Army. Killed in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Perdue; brother Carroll; sister, Reba Wright. Buried at St. Laurent Cemetery in France; reinterred at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem.
-- Submitted by his brother Carroll Perdue, and The Roanoke World-News and The Roanoke Times
Robert W. Peters
July 2, 1923 - April 18, 1943
From Roanoke. Was a student before the war. Served in the Army Air Forces. Ferried aircraft to North Africa from January to March 1943. Killed in a plane crash in Canada while ferrying a P-39 to the Russians in Alaska. Survived by his parents, William and Minnie Peters; brothers, Edgar, Ralph and James; sisters, Louise and Nancy. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem.
-- Submitted by his sister Nancy P. Burgess of Roanoke, and the Roanoke World-News
James W. Pflueger
From Roanoke. Graduated from Roanoke College and Columbia University. Joined the Army Air Forces in June 1941. Killed in North Africa on Nov. 9, 1942, at age 25. The last letter from Pflueger to his parents was dated Nov. 7, probably a few hours before American troops landed. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Pflueger, and brother, Donald.
-- The Roanoke World-News and "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
James R. Philpotts
From Roanoke. Joined the Army in March 1943. Killed Nov. 23, 1943, in North Africa. Survived by his wife and his mother, Mrs. J.P. Philpotts.
-- The Roanoke World-News and "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Philip E. Phlegar
1920 - 1942
From Roanoke. Joined the Navy in January 1938 and served until his 21st birthday in June 1941. Re-enlisted in December 1941. Served aboard the USS Juneau, which was lost in the battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Phlegar; brother, James; and sister, Mrs. S.L. Graham.
-- "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
George H. Pierpont
William G. Pingley Jr.
From Salem. Joined the National Guard; later activated into the Army. Killed July 10, 1944, in France. Survived by his mother, Mrs. J.E. Marshall, his wife and a daughter.
--The Roanoke World-News and The Roanoke Times
Moss A. Plunkett Jr.
March 1922 - Dec. 1, 1943
From Roanoke. Attended the University of Virginia before the war. Also worked for the Hercules Powder Co. in Radford. Served in the Army Air Forces. Plunkett had received a slight head wound Nov. 30, 1943, in Port Moresby, New Guinea, and the dressing partially obscured his vision. On Dec. 1, while walking back to his plane, he was stuck by a motorcycle driven by an Australian courier. Plunkett was rushed to the hospital, but he died the next morning. He never regained consciousness. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Moss A. Plunkett, and sister, June Plunkett. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem.
-- Submitted by his sister, June P. Poe of Roanoke
William P. Potter
Henry C. Powers
Worked for the Tucker Bros. grocery before the war. Reported missing in action in Italy.
-- "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Joseph A. Preston
Alvah S. Price
From Roanoke. Nicknamed "Dick." Discharged from the Navy on Jan. 29, 1944; died Feb. 15, 1944. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Price.
--The Roanoke World-News
James E. Price Jr.
Raymond E. Price
John N. Priest
From Roanoke. Killed Jan. 18, 1944, in Italy. Survived by his wife, Louise.
-- The Roanoke World-News
Edward R. Prillaman
Leonard W. Prillaman
Dec. 15, 1923 - Aug. 31, 1943
From Roanoke. A high school student before the war. Served in the Navy. Was a rear gunner on a plane in the South Pacific. Reported missing in action after his plane never returned to the carrier; later presumed dead. Survived by his parents, Leonard and Mary Sue Prillaman; sisters, Gladys P. Huff, Mary Sue P. Hancock and Gloria Prillaman. Body never recovered; marker in his honor erected at Arlington National Cemetery. Says his sister Gloria Fox: "His desire was to join the Navy. Parents signed for him to join. ... Never knowing what happened and not having his body returned home was hard and very painful."
-- Submitted by his sister Gloria P. Fox of Moneta
Robert L. Pritchard
David M. Puckett Sr.
Eugene P. Puckett II
From Salem. Served in the Army Air Forces. Killed in Koblenz, Germany, while on a bombing mission. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Puckett, and his wife, Helen Puckett. Buried in Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem.
-- Submitted by his widow, Helen W. Reid of Roanoke
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William H. Quesenberry
Edward T. Quinn
Walter J. Rader
March 9, 1921 - Oct. 26, 1943
From Roanoke. Sold produce on the Roanoke City Market before the war. Served in the Army. Killed in Italy by artillery fire. Survived by his parents, Minnie and William Rader; brothers, Richard and Herman; sisters, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and Jean. Buried at Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke. Says his sister, Jean Loezius: "Mother wanted to try to keep him from going, because he was our sole support. ... He made $3 a week, and a lot of times he went to work hungry, so he begged her not to try to get him out. I guess he thought he could make it better for us."
-- Submitted by his sister, Jean Loezius of Plant City, Fla.
Bertram L. Ragland
From Roanoke. Killed Oct. 15, 1942, location not disclosed. Survived by his mother, Eva.
-- The Roanoke World-News
Joseph B. Raleigh
From Roanoke. Attended Augusta Military Academy before the war. Joined the Marines. Killed in October 1942 at age 19 in the Pacific. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Raleigh.
-- The Roanoke World-News and "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Ralph N. Ramsey
Served in the Army Air Forces as pilot of a P-39 Airocobra fighter. Reported missing in action over Belgium on March 1, 1945. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Ramsey, and brothers, Glenn and Jesse.
Virgil L. Rea
July 9, 1922 - Nov. 14, 1945
From Glenvar. Nicknamed "Jimbo." Worked for the Salem Tannery before the war. Served in the Army Air Forces. Killed when his plane went down during a storm off the Leyte Islands in the Philippines. He was a military policeman and was returning a prisoner to base in Japan. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William J. Rea; brothers, Homer and Luther; sisters, Ruby Helen R. Wright, Norris R. King and Lillian R. Starkey. Another brother, William, was killed March 11, 1945, while serving in France. Both are buried at Danville National Cemetery in Danville.
-- Submitted by his sister Ruby R. Wright of Rocky Mount
Thomas E. Reed
Worked for the Hercules Powder Co. in Radford before the war. Joined the Navy. Reported missing in action. Survived by his wife, Margaret Reed, and a brother, James Reed.
--"Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
George E. Reynolds
From Roanoke County. Killed July 9, 1944, at Saipan. Survived by his mother, Mrs. G.A. Reynolds.
-- The Roanoke World-News
Cecil W. Rhodes
Aug. 16, 1913 - Dec. 7, 1944
From Salem. Served in the 3rd Army in Europe. Wounded in October 1943; killed in action in Germany. Buried at Mount Union Cemetery in Botetourt County.
-- Submitted by his brother, Elmer C. Rhodes of Salem
Everett J. Rice
Cecil F. Richardson
James W. Richardson
Cleo M. Robertson
March 17, 1926 - April 21, 1945
From Roanoke. Worked for American Viscose before the war. Served in the Army. Killed at Fallensleben, Germany. Robertson was manning a .50-caliber machine gun while engaged in close combat with a unit of German motorized infantry, supported by tanks. Survived by his parents, George and Virgin Robertson; brothers, Hugh, David and Glenn; sisters, Dorothy Stanley, Helen Willis, Mildred Gee, Martha Martin and Yvonne Coleman. Buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery in Mangraten, Netherlands. His grave was adopted by a Dutch girl, who placed flowers there and sent letters and pictures. Later reinterred in Mountain View Cemetery, Vinton.
-- Submitted by his sister Mildred R. Gee of Roanoke
Norman A. Robertson
Feb. 1, 1924 - Nov. 9, 1944
From Roanoke. Worked before the war as a steelworker for American Bridge. Served in the Army. Killed in France. Survived by his wife, Geneva Ferguson Robertson; parents, Elbert and Mary Robertson; brother, Douglas; sisters, Claudine R. Banks and Betty Lou Robertson. Buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Vinton. His last letter home said "I am in a foxhole and bullets flying all around." Says his sister Betty R. Chocklett: "I can remember my mother crying at night in bed. She never got over his death. I'm 60 now, and I try to put flowers on his grave as often as I can. He was a good man."
-- Submitted by his sister, Betty R. Chocklett of Wirtz, and his brother, Douglas Robertson of Roanoke
Oscar B. Robertson
1918 - Nov. 16, 1944
From Roanoke. Nicknamed "Skeeter." Worked for Ideal Cleaners before the war. Served in the Army. Killed near Metz, France, while returning to camp with rations and water. A German mortar shell burst nearby, killing him. Survived by his wife, Iris; son, Benjamin; daughter, Patricia Carol; parents, Mr. and Mrs. B.W. Robertson; two brothers and two sisters. Buried in France, then reinterred in Mountain View Cemetery in Franklin County.
-- Submitted by his daughter, Carol Robertson Campbell of Roanoke.
James L. Rogers
Junior Eugene Rogers
Robert L. Roope Jr.
Served in the 3rd Army in Europe. Died from wounds suffered in Germany. Survived by his wife, Addie S. Roope; a son; his father, R.L. Roope Sr.; and two brothers.
Leslie G. Ross
Alonza T. Rountree Jr.
Worked for the Norfolk and Western Railway before the war. Joined the military in May 1942. Was a co-pilot on a B-24 Liberator. Killed in action over Davao in the South Pacific. Survived by his wife, Elizabeth Rountree.
-- "Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Earl C. Rucker
From Roanoke. Worked for Appalachian Power Co. before the war. Joined the military in March 1942. Served as a tail gunner on a B-26. Killed in New Guinea. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Rucker; wife, June Rucker; sisters, Mrs. Fran Aaron, Mrs. C. Saul, Mrs. E. Roop, Mrs. L. Wilson, Mrs. J.H. Perdue, Mrs. Rubye Rossiter; brothers, Benjamin and Howard.
--"Roanoke Valley Casualties in World War II," compiled by Buford Stanley
Philip Russell
Raised in Salem at the Baptist Children's Home. Nicknamed "Bud Fisher." Graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in 1940. Served in the Army's 82nd Airborne. Killed in the invasion of Europe. A friend says, "He was a natural leader and respected by all who knew him."
-- Submitted by friend Edward L. McCallum of Vinton
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