ROSSUM, Pvt. Royce Duane, WWII

ROSSUM, OLSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/11/2013 at 01:13:23

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
May 24, 1945, Page 24

Pvt. Royce Rossum Fighting on Okinawa
With "Tokyo Express"

With the 27th Infantry Division (The Tokyo Express) on Okinawa - Pvt. Royce R. ROSSUM, Mason City, has joined the fighting forces of the 27th infantry division now battling Jap defenders of Okinawa island in the Ryukyus it has been announced by the headquarters of the division commander, Maj. Gen. George W. Griner.

Veteran combat teams of the "Tokyo Express" division landed on the strategic Ryukyuan stronghold on April 9 and quickly moved to the front lines where they are blasting stiff Japanese resistance.

Pvt. ROSSUM is seeing action against the enemy with the 27th's Knickerbockers.

The 19-year-old Iowa soldier entered the service in September, 1944, and has served 3 months overseas.

His home address is 1120 Pennsylvania N.E., where his mother, Mrs. Luella T. ROSSUM, now resides.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Friday, June 08, 1945, Page 1

PVT. ROYCE ROSSUM KILLED
in ACTION on OKINAWA, APRIL 29

Is the Second of 3 Sons
to Give His Life in the Service

Pvt. Royce D. ROSSUM, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton ROSSUM, 1120 Pennsylvania N. E., was killed on Okinawa on April 29, according to a message received here from the war department.

This is the 2nd son of the ROSSUMS to have given his life in the service. MM 2/c Althon ROSSUM was reported lost on a destroyer in the Pacific last fall. The remaining son, Gordon, is with a medical corps in Germany. The ROSSUMS have no other children.

Royce had not been heard from since the middle part of April, but according to a story received from headquarters May 24, he was seeing action with the 27th infantry division, the "Knickerbockers," against the enemy in the Ryukyuan stronghold. The division had landed on the island on April 9, it was stated.

Royce entered the service last September. He took his basic training at Camp Hood, Tex., and was home on a short furlough in February before going to Fort Ord, Cal., and from there soon after overseas. During his basic training he was awarded 2 expert medals for the rifle and 57 mm.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
September 17, 1945, Page 2

Mason Cityans Reach States

Two Mason Cityans were due to have arrived in the states from overseas Sunday, according to an AP wire received here Monday.

T-5 Melvin E. OLSON was scheduled to have reached Boston on aboard the Pach Victory and Pfc. Gordon D. ROSSUM in New York aboard the Z. B. Alexander.

Gordon is the remaining son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton ROSSUM, 1120 Pennsylvania N. E. Two of his brothers, Althon and Royce, were killed in action. Melvin is the son of Mrs. Alta OLSON, 211 14th N. E. He has been serving with the 25th evacuation hospital in the ETO.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
October 18, 1945, Page 11

Memorial at Trinity Sunday

A memorial service will be held in Trinity Lutheran church next Sunday, Oct. 21, at 3 p. m. for Royce ROSSUM, who was killed in the campaign on Okinawa last April 20. Althon ROSSUM, his brother, was a naval casualty earlier. They are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Althon ROSSUM, 1120 Pennsylvania N. E., whose third son, Deane, is home on leave after seeing action in Europe.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
October 22, 1945, Page 11

MEMORIAL SERVICES HELD FOR R. ROSSUM

2nd Son in Family to Be Killed in War

"Not many families in these United States have been called upon to give so much," said the Rev. Alvin N. ROGNESS at the memorial services in Trinity Lutheran church Sunday afternoon for Pvt. Royce D. ROSSUM, killed on Okinawa last April and the 2nd son of Mr. and Mrs. Althon ROSSUM, 1120 Pennsylvania N. E., to have given his life in combat.

"In this war this nation has invested 12,000,000 men of their time and blood," said the pastor. "Of these about 200,000 were called upon to give their last full measure of devotion. Among these the ROSSUM family gave two.

". . . We meet today to honor the memory of Royce who died last April after just an hour or 2 of combat. . . But we have reason to believe that he has now received his promotion, his full commission where from the time of his birth he really belonged. He has received the Eternal Citation," Mr. ROGNESS concluded.

Willis THOMPSON, recently discharged overseas veteran, sang "There Is No Death" with Miss Beatrice LYSNE accompanying.

Deane ROSSUM, remaining son of the ROSSUMS and just home from overseas service, was present at the services. A number of out-of-town relatives and friends were in attendance.

NOTE: Gordon D. ROSSUM was discharged from the army on Nov. 16, 1945 at Camp Crowder, MO and returned to Mason City.

Transcriptions and note by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2013

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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