George Gerald Roche
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
ROCHE, George Gerald
George Gerald Roche was born on December 27th 1922 to David Andrew & Carrie O. [Mekash] Roche in Hibbing, Minnesota.
Mr. Roche entered the U.S. Navy on December 7th 1942 during WWII. Home at entry: Hibbing, Minnesota. His brother David John Roche was killed in action during the Battle of Midway.
George was a commissioned Lieutenant (j.g.) and served as a naval aviator on SB2C Helldiver dive bombers. Just before he was sent off to active duty he married Helen Nasi on June 27th 1944. He was assigned to the Fleet Air Wing aboard the USS Lexington in Hawaii, Saipan, and Tokyo in the Pacific Theater.
Mr. Roche shared the following:
"Wound up in Yokosuka, Japan, after the war. While training in Florida we did our night landing practice aboard the Prince William. Ran into the captain of the ship afterwards, Captain Claude Schmidt, from Hibbing. Quite a surprise!"
He was honorably discharged on December 31st 1945.
Mr. Roche died on January 9th 2004 at 81 years of age. He is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing.
Source(s): Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 269.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Page 1 WWII Draft Registration Cards - Fold3
LTJG George Gerald Roche (1922-2004) - Find a Grave Memorial
U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Ancestry.com
