26th Annual Student Research Conference
When Bill Comes Marching Home Again
Ingrid K. Roettgen
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
When the United States entered World War II, countless young men were drafted unwillingly into the military. Among these men was my grandfather, William J. Roettgen. He served on the front line in many of the bloodiest battles of WWII, including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Bill was scarred by the things he had seen overseas, and refused to talk about his experiences abroad after he arrived back home. As a result, those three years of his life have been a mystery to me and much of my family. Through this research, I have attempted to piece together a forgotten piece of my family history using the few military documents and stories that still survive after his death. My reconstruction of his service in WWII serves not only to show the inhumanity of war, but also to honor my grandfather's memory.
Keywords: World War II, war, soldier, family history, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, WWII, 1940's
Topic(s):History
English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 110-4
Location: VH 1320
Time: 8:45