William Eugene Roller

SSGT – U.S. Army
4th Inf Division, Company K (Ranger), 75th Infantry
Company E, 3rd Bn, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade

3 September 1941 – 7 September 1970
Sebastian, Florida
Panel 7W, Line 45

MILITARY DATA

Service:               Army (Regular)

Grade at loss:   E6

Rank:                     Staff Sergeant

ID Number:           012321417

MOS:                       11F4P: Infantry Operations And Intelligence Specialist

(Airborne Qual)

Len Svc:               more than 4 year

Unit:                     4 INF DIV, K/75 RANGER / 503rd INF, 173rd ABN BDE

CASUALTY DATA

Start Tour:         11/04/1969

Cas Date:             09/07/1970

Age at Loss:       29

Remains:               Body recovered

Location:             Binh Dinh, South Vietnam

Type:                     Hostile, died outright, ground casualty

Reason:                 Gun, small arms fire

AWARDS:

Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Combat

Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Parachutist Badge, Vietnam

Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal

GRAVESITE

Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois

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Link to Remembrances:

https://www.thewall-usa.com/guest.asp?recid=44310

https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/44321/WILLIAM-E-ROLLER

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Doug   Childers – dhc1313@sbcglobal.net – Dec 14, 2011

Served with in Vietnam

To My Very Good Friend

I remember talking to you on the eve of your final mission and you telling me how dangerous and apprehensive you were. Your team had been inserted that day but had to come out b/c of commo problems. It has been over 40 years since that September day in 1970 when I walked into the operations room and there on the desk was your SOI with two small holes over the top left corner. I was in shock partially b/c this was my old SOI as I was the TL that trained you after you transferred in from the Aviation company. For 40 years I have wondered if I did everything I could for you and sadly I can’t come to an answer either way. I miss you and pray for you…….

Matthew Lashley   –   151 Michael Lane, Aberdeen, NC 28315 – MLASHLEY3@nc.rr.com

K/75 Ranger team member

Team Leader

You trained me to be a team leader and you were a good friend. When your team got into contact, every man in the company fell out to volunteer for a reaction force. When the news came that you had been killed there were tears in the eyes of all the K/75 rangers. You told us you would always bring us back alive, and you died getting your team back alive. Over the years when I have faced troubles and hard times, I remember those words and get the strength to press on. You will never be forgotten and will live in the memory of all of the K/75 Rangers forever.

June 07, 2006

thorne carroll   –   thornecl@bellsouth.net   –   September 14, 2003

same high school

A true hero

You were such a great lineman on the football team. you were a friend of my older brother. i remeber seeing you home on leave at a high school basketball game. in the battle that took your life, you were a true hero and should have received the MOH. i learned of your death while in the air force. indian river county has never been the same. your memorial in vero beach assures that you will never be forgotten.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THIS YOUNG MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY WHOSE NAME SHALL LIVE FOREVER MORE

11/29/99 – by CLAY MARSTON – cmarston@interlog.com

STAFF SERGEANT WILLIAM EUGENE ROLLER

COMPANY ‘ E ‘, 3rd BATTALION

503rd INFANTRY, 173rd AIRBORNE BRIGADE