“I was born in Alliance, OH, in October of 1918, and entered the United States Naval Service in July of 1940. I was assigned the service number of 368-49-71, and went to Bootcamp in San Diego. After bootcamp I was assigned to the the Cruiser Concord. We took the Concord to Mare Island, CA and rebuilt her interrior. Thereafter we did patrol and convoy protection duty in the Pacific. I was a Seaman First Class.

Struck for and received assignment to Aviation Mechanics school in Jacksonville, FL. I graduated 8th. in my class on 6 December, 1941 – the day before Pearl Harbor was attacked. From school I went to the JAX training command into VN-11B, then on to VN-11A at Cecil Field. From there to Lake City, FL for PV-1 training. Sometime in 1943 I was transferred to Norfolk for PB4Y-1 training. After PB4Y-1 training I went next door to Oceana NAS for Aircrew training.

I became a Plane Captain under Patrol Plane Commander A.M. Ellingson. In due time our crew reported for duty at Port Lyautey, French Morocco, where we did Patrol duty in the Mediterranean.

In 1944 we were ordered to San Diego then on to Kaneohe Bay where we traded our old PB4Y-1 for a brand new one (BuNo 38913). We then departed for duty on Tinian, Tacloban, Mindoro, and Palawan, P.I. for patrol of the Pacific. We were a crew until some time in 1945 when we were relieved on Palawan. The day after we were relieved, our aircraft, BuNo 38913, and its new crew disappeared while on patrol. From VPB-111 I went to Yorktown, VA and was assigned duty aboard the USS Tarawa.

I left the Navy in July of 1946 with the rating of ACMM-PA. As of this writing, (6/4/03) and to my knowledge, Harvey Cain and I are the last surviving members of CAC 8, VPB-111. Harvey operated the tail guns on our PB4Y-1.

Married Bernice in 1953, a Chicago girl, and have a daughter, Ann Marie, who teaches school in Columbia, MO. Worked 14 years for United Airlines as a line mechanic, then as an inspector, at Midway Airport in Chicago, Il. In 1960 I went to work for the FAA as an inspector in St. Louis, MO., and retired from there in 1985 after 25 years service.

Since retirement I have been active in church and charity works here in Hazelwood, MO.

Email from Anne Rosler-Kribbs of 06/19/2011:

“”On Feburary 7th 2011 my father Henry Rosler passed away. He had been in declining health for some time due to his bone marrow no longer making blood. He was laid to rest in Sacred Heart Cemetery Florrissant MO with military honors. He was an active member of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. His last years were spent enjoying church, 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.””

Obituary for Henry Rosler:
Rosler, Henry J. age 92, entered into eternal rest on Monday, Feb. 7, 2011. He was born in Alliance, OH, Oct. 25, 1918, son of John H. Rolser and Regina (Richter). Dear husband of the late Bernice Rosler. Beloved father of Anne Marie Rosler-Kribbs (Kirk Kribbs), loving grandfather of Charlie (Bret), Tiffany Mariesa, Marcus Henry, Belle Aurora, and Angel Rose; great grandfather of Khole, all of Columbia, MO. Special thank you to dear friends and care providers, Sandra and James Kimbrough. Thank you to Foy and Theresa Asberry for the good food, Deacon Chuck and Pat Davanzo for being god parents, and our Parrish Nurse Karen Connor. Mr. Rosler was a proud Navy Veteran in WWII. He worked in the Federal Aviation Agency, was assigned to Ozark Airlines in St. Louis. He was a member of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parrish. Services: Cemetery service by Rev. Tim Cook at 1:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 9 at Sacred Heart Cemetery Chapel, 900 Graham Rd., Florissant. Memorials may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society.”