Bio: Robert E. Roeder, Schuylkill County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jay Zane jrzane@bigfoot.com USGENWEB NOTICE:Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. _________________________________________________________________ ROBERT E. ROEDER Born in Summit Station on July 25, 1917, Robert E. Roeder had just passed his 27th birthday and his eighth year in the armed forces when the Germans launched one of a series of determined counter-attacks on Mount Battaglia, Italy. He was a captain in command of Company G, 350th Infantry Regiment, 88th Division, on September 27 and 28, 1944, when his company occupied the hill at Mount Battaglia. The hill had scarcely been occupied when the Nazi counterattacks began. Roeder's Citation warding him the Congressional Medal of Honor stated: "Completely exposed to ceaseless enemy artillery and small arms fire, Captain Roeder constantly circulated among his men, encouraging them and directing their defense against the persistent enemy. During the sixth counter-attack, the enemy, by using flame throwers and taking advantage of the fog, succeeded in overrunning the position. Captain Roeder led his men in a fierce battle at close quarters to repulse the attack with heavy losses to the Geermans. The following morning, while the company was engaged in repulsing an enemy counter-attack in force, Captain Roeder was seriously wounded and rendered unconscious by shell fragments. He was carried to the company command post where he regained consciousness. Refusing medical treatment, he insisted on rejoining his men. Although in a weakened condition, Captain Roeder dragged himself to the door of the command post, and picking up a rifle, braced himself in a sitting position. He began firing his weapon, shouting words of encouragement, and issued orders to his men. He personally killed two Germans before he himself was killed instantly by an exploding shell. Through Captain Roeder's able and intrepid leadership, his men held Mount Battaglia against the aggressive and fanatical enemy attempts to retake this important strategic height. His valorous performance is exemplary of the fighting spirit of the Army of the United States." This was not his lone act of valor. Staff Sgt. George Nicholas, a rifle squad leader under Roeder's command told a story of seeing Roeder capture four German prisoners after entering a house alone. Roeder was born and raised in Summit Station and graduated from Schuylkill Haven High School in 1935. He enlisted in the service in 1936, was stationed at Fort Meade until 1939 and was at Pearl Harbor at the time of the infamous attack. He was sent to OCS at Fort Benning, Ga., commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry in June, 1942. He went overseas in 1943 and became a captain April 27, 1944, in the North African Theatre of Operations. His mother, Mrs. Cora Roeder, received his citation at Carlisle Barracks, on May 12, 1945. In Austria, a camp was named for Captain Robert E. Roeder, on of Schuylkill County's gallant fighting men of World War II.