1st Lt. Ewald Martin Rodeck was born in Watertown, Wisconsin, on July 26, 1912, to Reinhold Rodeck and Ida S. Frey-Rodeck, and he had six brothers. The family resided at 443 Elgin Avenue, in Forest Park, Illinois. He graduated from Saint John Lutheran School, Proviso Township High School, in 1931, and the University of Chicago in 1935. He worked as the sales manager for the Meyercord Company, Chicago, Illinois.
When the Selective Service Act became law on October 16, 1940, he registered for the draft and named his mother as his contact person. He also gave his residence as 1136 Ontario Street, Oak Park, Illinois. He was inducted into the US Army on July 13, 1942 and given the serial number 36 359 141. It is not known when, but he was sent to Officers Candidates School and commissioned a second lieutenant, on April 29, 1943, and issued the serial number O1 181 433. It appears that it after commissioned he joined Company B, 386th Field Artillery, 104th Infantry Division.
It is known that the 104th trained at Camp Adair, Oregon, and then took part in maneuvers. On December 7, 1943, the was assigned to Camp Hyder, Arizona, for 13 weeks of desert training. When desert training ended on February 9, 1944, the division moved to Camp Granite, California, before being sent to Camp Carson, Colorado. On August 20th, on 24 trains, the division was sent to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. The division left the US on August 27th and arrived in France. One last move was made in March to Camp Carson, Colorado, aboard 24 trains was followed with a cross-county move to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, arriving on August 2, 1944. The division left the US on September 7th and were assigned to III Corps of the Ninth United States Army, part of the Twelfth United States Army Group.
The unit was allowed to assemble at Manche, France, before it was sent into combat in the Battle of Scheldt which was meant to open up the Scheldt River to military traffic. It next took part in Operation Market Garden which was an attempt to end the war quickly. The operation failed. It was during this offensive on October 25, 1944, in Belgium that Ewald was hit by fire from an enemy machine gun and killed. Four days later, on the 29th, he was buried at the United States Military Cemetery #1, Henri Chapelle, Belgium, in Plot T, Row 6, Grave 117.
His parents were sent a telegram telling them of Ewald’s death.
MRS IDA RODECK
625 FERDNAND STREET
FOREST PARK ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES OF ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEPEST REGRET THAT YOUR SON FIRST LIEUTENANT EWALD M RODECK WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON THE TWENTY FIVE OCTOBER IN BELGIUM LETTER FOLLOWS
ULIO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
A confirmation letter followed the telegram, but its content is not known.
His mother received a letter, dated July 19, 1945, telling her where Ewald was buried and the location of his grave in the cemetery. Another letter was not sent to her January 1947, telling her that information would be coming about his final burial. The Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC, did not know that she had passed away in 1946. Another letter, dated March 3, 1947, was mailed to his mother asking her to fill-out an enclosed form -indicating where she wanted Ewald buried – and return the form to the OQMG. It was at this time that his brother, Roland, informed the OQMG that his mother had passed away. After everything had been straightened out making his brother the next of kin, the OQMG received a the form indicating that Ewald should be returned to Illinois
Ewald’s remains were exhumed from Henri Chapelle and on October 14, 1947, his remains were taken by truck to the barge loading point at Liege, Belgium. On a barge his remains were taken to the American Graves Registration Service in Antwerp, Belgium, arriving on October 18th, where his remains were casketed. On November 6, his casket was placed on the USAT Robert F. Burns which sailed the same day. The ship arrived the the New York Port of Embarkation on November 26th. By train, on December 1st, his casket was sent to the Quartermaster Corps Distribution Center #8, Chicago, and arrived there on December 3rd. In an military hearse, his remains were sent to the Dreschler Funeral Home, Oak Park, Illinois, on December 16th. He was buried at Concordia Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois.
