Ronald E. Rosser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronald E. Rosser
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| Birth name | Ronald Eugene Rosser |
| Born | October 24, 1929 Columbus, Ohio |
| Died | August 26, 2020 (aged 90) Bumpus Mills, Tennessee |
| Buried |
Iliff Cemetery, McLuney, Ohio
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1946–1949 1951–1968 |
| Rank | Master Sergeant |
| Unit | Company L, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Ronald Eugene Rosser (October 24, 1929 – August 26, 2020) was a United States Army soldier who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War.
Military service
Born on October 24, 1929, in Columbus, Ohio, Rosser was the oldest of seventeen children. He joined the United States Army in 1946 at age 17 shortly after World War II for a three-year term of service. After one of his brothers was killed in the early stages of the Korean War, he re-enlisted from Crooksville, Ohio, in 1951 as a way of getting revenge. Initially stationed in Japan, Rosser requested to be sent into combat and was then deployed to Korea with the heavy mortar company of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
On January 12, 1952, Rosser, by then a corporal, was acting as a forward observer with Company L's lead platoon during an assault on a heavily fortified hill near Ponggilli. When the unit came under heavy fire, Rosser went forward three times and attacked the hostile positions alone, each time returning to friendly lines to gather more ammunition before charging the hill again. Although wounded himself, he helped carry injured soldiers to safety once withdrawal became necessary. For these actions, Rosser was awarded the Medal of Honor. Rosser earned these badges: Combat Infantry Badge, Glider Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder badge, Parachute Rigger, Army Recruiter Badge.
Rosser returned to the United States in May 1952 and was formally presented with the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman a month later, on June 27, 1952.
On September 20, 1966, another of Rosser's brothers, PFC Gary Edward Rosser, USMC, was killed in action, this time in the Vietnam War. Rosser requested a combat assignment in Vietnam but was rejected and subsequently retired from the army soon after.
Awards and decorations
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| Combat Infantryman Badge | |||||||||||
| Medal of Honor | Purple Heart | ||||||||||
| Army Good Conduct Medal | National Defense Service Medal | Korean Service Medal w/ two bronze campaign stars |
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| Order of Military Merit Taegeuk Cordon Medal |
United Nations Korea Medal | Korean War Service Medal | |||||||||
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| Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation |
Personal life
Rosser resided in West Palm Beach, Florida, for thirty years. While he lived in Florida he was a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service. He lived in Roseville, Ohio. He was the father of Pamela [nee Rosser] Lovell.
Rosser served on the advisory board of the Motts Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio.
Rosser died on August 26, 2020, in Bumpus Mills, Tennessee.
See also
In Spanish: Ronald E. Rosser para niños
