Rodger, Sgt. William G.

Sgt. William Garner Rodger 
Born: 26 November 1920 
Parents: W. Fred Rodger & Bernice Rodger 
– mother died when he was a child 
Siblings: 2 sisters 
– one sister was killed in an accident 
Home: 
– 615 North Second Avenue – Maywood, Illinois 
Education: 
– Proviso Township High School 
– Class of 1934 
– South Georgia State College 
– left after two years 
Occupation: Office Clerk- Concrete Engineering Company, Cicero, Illinois
Engaged: Vera Stelzer 
Inducted: 
– 23 February 1942 
Serial Number: 36320953 
Training: 
– Lowery Airfield, Texas 
– Harlingen Airfield, Texas 
– gunnery school
– Hammer Airfield, California 
– March Airfield, California 
– Hamilton Airfield, California 
– airfield located on edge of San Pablo Bay 
Unit: Unknown 
– He was a member of a ten-member crew of a B-24J Liberator
Died: 
– 25 July 1944 
– B-24 crashed into San Pablo Bay, California 
– 6:00 A.M. – the plane took off on a cross country mission 
– the engines of the plane began to malfunction so the pilot turned the plane toward the bay 
– it appeared he was attempting to crash land in the water 
– some witnesses stated that the plane exploded when it made contact with the water 
– the wreckage was 8 miles out in San Pablo Bay
– the recovery teams only recovered the body of one crew member 
Buried: 
– his remains were not recovered