Posted on Nov 28, 2016
Honor, Respect, Devotion to Duty: Seaman 1st Class Rollin Fritch
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I may not pay close attention, but don't think we recognize the Coasties enough.
This story is cool for me- Donna Fuller the 77 year old niece in the story is my best friend's mother. He earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart and gave his life; in 2014 one of the 10 new FRCs was named after him in his honor. His niece's husband, son, and now grandson have all served/serving as Marines. Last night there was a post about cornfield people and education I got caught up in- if the young man that wrote the references to Midwestern as being stupid knew half of the stories that are out there just like this. Great testament to Duty, Honor, and Country.
This story is cool for me- Donna Fuller the 77 year old niece in the story is my best friend's mother. He earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart and gave his life; in 2014 one of the 10 new FRCs was named after him in his honor. His niece's husband, son, and now grandson have all served/serving as Marines. Last night there was a post about cornfield people and education I got caught up in- if the young man that wrote the references to Midwestern as being stupid knew half of the stories that are out there just like this. Great testament to Duty, Honor, and Country.
Honor, Respect, Devotion to Duty: Seaman 1st Class Rollin Fritch
Posted from coastguard.dodlive.mil
WWII World War Two
Coasties
Honor
Duty
Respect
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 8
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Maj Marty Hogan
SSG G Smith I hate reading them when they have been KIA. I know the dangers of the gig, but doesn't mean we have to like it right? Freedom has never been free.
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SFC William Farrell
Maj Marty Hogan - For sure Marty. There are many stories like this and oftentimes Ill have tears in my eyes. My wife says why do you watch this or that as it gets me so upset. Survivors guilt I guess.
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Maj Marty Hogan
SFC William Farrell - Or maybe just a touch to human. I have been in a long time- by the grace of God never in combat. I have know many that were and the stories always bother me. I often wonder what decisions I would have made or what if that would have been my team mate. I continue to watch because I am proud to have been a part of something bigger than myself.
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Extraordinary story, Maj Marty Hogan. Thanks for sharing it with us. It's not just the ordinary people in the Midwest that are maligned. The ordinary good men and women of the entire U.S. are taken for granted everyday.
My father also served aboard ship (in the Navy) in the Pacific during WWII. He made it to many of the well known islands including the Philippines and fortunately made it back home to the South. He got a job, got married, raised a family and became one of those taken for granted just like your friends from the Midwest.
However, he was one of the Greatest Generation like Rollin Fritch. You didn't forget and I didn't either. The good thing about this forum is that no one here forgets. LTC Stephen F.
My father also served aboard ship (in the Navy) in the Pacific during WWII. He made it to many of the well known islands including the Philippines and fortunately made it back home to the South. He got a job, got married, raised a family and became one of those taken for granted just like your friends from the Midwest.
However, he was one of the Greatest Generation like Rollin Fritch. You didn't forget and I didn't either. The good thing about this forum is that no one here forgets. LTC Stephen F.
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SSgt Robert Marx
It is a sign of great immaturity in thinking to malign people with a great stroke of the proverbial brush for characteristics people have no control over; however, each of us was young & dumb at one point and so gray hairs with the other signs of aging are a great honor. I certainly said and wrote foolish things over the years.
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Thanks for sharing an interesting story Maj Marty Hogan about USCG Seaman 1st Class Rollin Fritch.
"When the warships of Blue Beach Attack Group were only 35 miles from Luzon’s shores, three Japanese aircraft materialized near the rear of the convoy, sweeping suddenly into an attack.
“Planes! They’re coming from the stern!” cried a chorus of voices aboard the USS Callaway, one of the attack transport ships leading the convoy.
Gunners aboard the Callaway had but mere seconds to react. Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class Rollin A. Fritch was one of the gunners who immediately leaped into action and peppered the incoming kamikaze aircraft with a hail of 20mm antiaircraft gunfire. Fritch and his fellow gunners brought down two of the planes, but the third evaded the barrage and plunged down toward the bridge, unswerving in its deadly course.
Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class Rollin A. Fritch poses in his uniform while on leave in 1943. Fritch was a crew member aboard the USS Callaway during World War II and died during a Kamikaze attack January 8, 1945.
Even as the kamikaze plane came hurtling toward him, Fritch remained at his post, forfeiting all chance of escape as he continued to fire his weapon. He fought bravely until the very moment the aircraft crashed into the starboard side of the bridge in a burst of flames that rattled the ship to its very keel.
Fritch, along with 28 other members of the Callaway crew, died in the fiery explosion."
Kudos to USCG Seaman 1st Class Rollin Fritch.
SN Greg Wright
Thanks for mentioning me LTC Stephen C.
FYI Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) PO1 John Miller PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"When the warships of Blue Beach Attack Group were only 35 miles from Luzon’s shores, three Japanese aircraft materialized near the rear of the convoy, sweeping suddenly into an attack.
“Planes! They’re coming from the stern!” cried a chorus of voices aboard the USS Callaway, one of the attack transport ships leading the convoy.
Gunners aboard the Callaway had but mere seconds to react. Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class Rollin A. Fritch was one of the gunners who immediately leaped into action and peppered the incoming kamikaze aircraft with a hail of 20mm antiaircraft gunfire. Fritch and his fellow gunners brought down two of the planes, but the third evaded the barrage and plunged down toward the bridge, unswerving in its deadly course.
Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class Rollin A. Fritch poses in his uniform while on leave in 1943. Fritch was a crew member aboard the USS Callaway during World War II and died during a Kamikaze attack January 8, 1945.
Even as the kamikaze plane came hurtling toward him, Fritch remained at his post, forfeiting all chance of escape as he continued to fire his weapon. He fought bravely until the very moment the aircraft crashed into the starboard side of the bridge in a burst of flames that rattled the ship to its very keel.
Fritch, along with 28 other members of the Callaway crew, died in the fiery explosion."
Kudos to USCG Seaman 1st Class Rollin Fritch.
SN Greg Wright
Thanks for mentioning me LTC Stephen C.
FYI Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) PO1 John Miller PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
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SSgt Robert Marx
The veterans of World War II fought with a great tenacity as free people overcoming barbarism from the regimes of the Third Reich & the Japanese Empire. Our world came much too close to fading into a nightmare of a great dark ages that would have gripped the world had those empires prevailed.
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