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Project 888

USS Indianapolis CA-35

Lost At Sea

Earl Arthur ROCKENBACH
Name: Earl Arthur ROCKENBACH
Project 888 Rank / Rating: SC2-Ship's Cook Second Class
Service #: 301 05 62
DOB: Jul 16, 1921
From: Plainfield, IL
Parents: William Frederick and Gladys Angelica Earls Rochenbach
Went Aboard: Jun 30, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 24 years, 0 months, 14 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Jeff Cormany (Nephew) facebook posting edited and presented by Carl Fahnestock

Earl Arthur ROCKENBACH, SC2-Ship

ROCKENBACH, Earl A
Project 888In a January 19, 2020 facebook posting (“Remembering the USS Indianapolis"), Jeff Cormany shared his personal memories about his uncle Earl Arthur Rochenbach. Jeff’s mother had recently passed (January 2, 2020) which undoubtedly stimulated his memories about his late uncle. His mother was one of the 6 siblings of Earl Rochenbach. Earl was the only male among the 7 siblings. Like many other LAS family members who lost loved ones with the sinking of USS Indianapolis, Jeff shared in his facebook posting: “I was wondering if anyone remembered him or knew if he went down with the ship or actually made it into the sea?”. This was a common question raised by many LAS family members. Jeff shared that since “Earl was a Ship’s Cook 2nd Class, he was down in the ship and probably went down with it”. To learn more about many questions that were raised by LAS family members who wrote to Captain McVay seeking answers along with McVay’s personal response to the questions, please Click UNANSWERABLE QUESTIONS. Jeff shared the following about Earl’s last leave back home: Everyone affectionately called Earl “Rocky”. He was on leave in Plainfield, IL when he was called back to rejoin the ship for a special mission (editorial note: a “Secret” mission to transport the components of “Little Boy” which was the atomic bomb that would subsequently be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan). While Rocky was home, his girlfriend broke up with him. He was so distraught that he got up in the middle of the night and headed back to San Francisco without saying goodbye to anyone. Rocky’s parents never spoke about this when Jeff was a little kid.

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