Background
William Marshall Roark was born 23 October 1938 in Sioux City, Iowa to Frank F. Roark (1906 – 1994) and Madge E. Roark (1909 – 1997). He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended Omaha Central High School.
William Marshall Roark was born 23 October 1938 in Sioux City, Iowa to Frank F. Roark (1906 – 1994) and Madge E. Roark (1909 – 1997). He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended Omaha Central High School.
He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1956, he graduated and was commissioned ensign on 8 June 1960 and advanced to the rank of lieutenant, 1 June 1964. He attended the naval flight school at Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, and subsequently reported for duty in Attack Squadron 153 on board United States Ship Coral Sea (CV-43).
Roark was the first United States Navy ship to be named for an American Killed in Action during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Roark was killed in action 7 April 1965 while flying an A-4 Skyhawk on a bombing mission over North Vietnam. His remains were recovered in March 1977 and he was buried at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska.
The United States Navy ship Roark (FF-1053) is named in his honor.
His mother and his widow were ship sponsors for Roark. Completing several successful attacks against military targets along a coastal highway in North Vietnam, his flight was taken under concentrated fire by numerous anti-aircraft and automatic gun positions.
Lieutenant Roark attacked the gun emplacements despite the fire directed at him. When his aircraft was struck by hostile fire, he flew the disabled jet toward the water and successfully ejected.
He was fired upon continuously during his parachute descent and after reaching the water.
I wish more Americans felt that way. I will not live in a totalitarian society and I don"t want you to, either. I believe in God and will resist any force that attempts to remove God from society, no matter what the name.
Quotations:
I don"t want my sons to fight a war I should have fought. I wish more Americans felt that way. I will not live in a totalitarian society and I don"t want you to, either.
I believe in God and will resist any force that attempts to remove God from society, no matter what the name.