World War II Honoree

Rollie C. Harger

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Michigan

Honored By

Fellow Veteran

HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN 1940 AND SERVED WITH GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR'S FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HE LATER FOUGHT WITH GENERAL JONATHAN WAINWRIGHT IN THE DEFENSE OF CORREGIDOR. FOLLOWING THE AMERICAN SURRENDER TO THE JAPANESE IN THE PHILIPPINES HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION ON MAY 7, 1942. IN JUNE 1943, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS DETERMINED THAT HE WAS A JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR. ON JULY 1, 1943, THE ARMY RECEIVED A DISPATCH FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE RED CROSS THAT INDICATED HE WAS, IN FACT, A PRISONER OF WAR HELD AT A CAMP IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND FURTHER THAT HE HAD DIED OF AMOEBIC DYSENTERY, BUT NO EXACT DATE COULD BE DETERMINED. HIS DEATH IS LISTED AS THE DATE OF THE DISPATCH, JULY 1, 1943.