December 2017 – Bandstand Flag Notice
Wendell Eugene Roach
May 6, 1930 – August 26, 1950
Private
Company C, 5th Infantry Regiment 7th Battalion
U.S. National Guard, U. S. Marine Corp, and U.S. Army
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The flag flying over the bandstand during the month of December is in honor of Wendell Eugene Roach.
Pvt. Roach was born in Tracy and spent most of his life in Oskaloosa. He attended Oskaloosa High School and following his education operated a star mail route for Roy Warrick. He served in the National Guard for a year, the Marine Corps for a year and was discharged in February 1950.
Roach enlisted in the Army, May 8, 1950, and left for active duty at Fort Riley, KS where he took basic training. From there he was sent to Camp Stoneman, CA, for overseas shipment. After arriving in Hawaii, Roach attended a service school until he left for Korea on Aug. 12.
He arrived in Korea on Aug. 21 and wrote to his grandparents telling them not to worry. The letter arrived here on August 28 two days after he was killed in action. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Roach and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Ellis.
He was laid to rest in Forest Cemetery, August 29, 1950, with full military honors.