WILLIAM M. ROARK, LT, USN
William Roark '60
Lucky Bag
From the 1960 Lucky Bag:
WILLIAM MARSHALL ROARK
Omaha, Nebraska
One of our really good "jet jockeys" of the future may truly be Bill Roark, who hails from the Cornhusker State. In the midst of much criticism, he still contends that Pensacola was just the greatest. Throughout his four years at the Academy Bill active in company sports, including steeplechase, softball, volleyball and knock-about sailing. He also managed to do a little bit of extracurricular weight-lifting just to keep in shape. Not a bucket as far as academics were concerned, Bill managed to compile a very fine academic record for the four years. If his perseverance continues, Bill will get his Navy wings of gold and have an excellent career in that branch of the Navy.
He was also a member of the Color Guard.
WILLIAM MARSHALL ROARK
Omaha, Nebraska
One of our really good "jet jockeys" of the future may truly be Bill Roark, who hails from the Cornhusker State. In the midst of much criticism, he still contends that Pensacola was just the greatest. Throughout his four years at the Academy Bill active in company sports, including steeplechase, softball, volleyball and knock-about sailing. He also managed to do a little bit of extracurricular weight-lifting just to keep in shape. Not a bucket as far as academics were concerned, Bill managed to compile a very fine academic record for the four years. If his perseverance continues, Bill will get his Navy wings of gold and have an excellent career in that branch of the Navy.
He was also a member of the Color Guard.
Loss
William was killed in action while on a bombing mission over North Vietnam on April 7, 1968 when his A-4 Skyraider was heavily damaged by antiaircraft artillery.
Other Information
From USNA '60 Memorial Site:
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, LT Roark grew up in Omaha, NE, where he graduated from Central High School in 1956. At Central, he was cadet colonel and commanding officer of the school’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. It was also at Central that he met his future bride, Karen Krause.
LT Roark graduated from the Naval Academy in 1960 and was subsequently selected for aviation career path. He attended flight training in Pensacola, FL, and Beeville, TX, before his eventual selection to Attack Squadron 153 in Lemoore, CA.
LT Roark deployed twice with VA-153 aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA 43). On the second deployment in 1965, the flight crews of the Coral Sea saw the first heavy and sustained action of the war in Vietnam during Operation ROLLING THUNDER.
On 7 April, LT Roark was leading a two ship section armed reconnaissance mission in the area of Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. His flight detected an anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) site and engaged the target. Following the first attack, as the site had not been destroyed, LT Roark attacked again. On the second attack his aircraft was struck by the AAA. His A-4C Skyhawk was too severely damaged to continue, and LT Roark ejected over hostile coastal water where he was fired upon continuously while parachuting to the sea.
In last letter to his wife, LT Roark wrote "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".
LT Roark was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross. The frigate USS Roark (FF 1053) was named in his honor in 1967. The ROARK’s fitting motto was "Victory Through Service."
In 2004, his alma mater, Central High School, named Roark to their hall of fame, and in 2005, the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps of Dyersburg, TN, named their unit the LT William Roark squadron in his honor.
LT Roark is survived by his wife, Karen Phillips of Woodbridge, CT, and by his children Lisa Logan, John Roark, LCDR William Roark, and grand children Travis, Devin, Karleigh, Courtney, Lily and Ian.
From Find A Grave:
Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 3, 1960, he subsequently advanced in rank to that of Lieutenant, to date from June 1, 1964. Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1960, he remained there for duty in the Engineering Department until September that year, then had flight training at the Naval Air Basic Training Command, Pensacola, Florida. From October 1961 until March 1962 he had further training at the Naval Air Advanced Training Command, Corpus Christi, Texas. Designated Naval Aviator on April 9, 1962, he joined Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE and in December that year transferred to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THREE, operating off the USS CORAL SEA.
William has a memory marker in Nebraska.
Why He Fought
From the November 1965 issue of Shipmate:
A recent news story carried part of the text of a letter written by a Navy pilot to his wife, shortly before he was killed by Communist gunfire over North Vietnam. In this letter, he said:
"I don't want my sons to fight a war I should have fought.
"I wish more Americans felt this way.
"I'm not a warmonger. It will be me who gets shot at. But it's foolish and blind not to have the courage of your convictions.
"I will not live under 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.
"This is what we must all do if we believe in what the Founding Fathers stood for."
The pilot was Bill Roark '60.
Photographs
"William Roark, Central High School, Omaha, NE, USA, 1956"
Distinguished Flying Cross
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant William Marshall Roark (NSN: 0-641458), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot in Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE (VA-153) aboard U.S.S. CORAL SEA (CVA-43), during operations in the Vietnam on 7 April 1965. 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. The intense barrage of anti-aircraft, automatic weapons and mortar fire directed onto the water by the enemy prevented helicopter rescue of Lieutenant Roark, who was fatally wounded. His cool courage in the face of intense enemy opposition was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: All Hands (March 1966)
Action Date: April 7, 1965
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Attack Squadron 153 (VA-153)
Division: U.S.S. Coral Sea (CVA-43)
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
