Rolland Eugene Carlson

2021-11-16T19:37:41-06:00
Army Badge
  • Name: Rolland Eugene Carlson
  • Location of Birth: Bovey, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: January 3, 1921
  • Date of Death: April 5, 1982
  • Parents: Ralph Carlson & Goldie (Alexander) Carlson
  • High School and Class: 1939 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
  • College:
  • Highest Rank: CPL (Corporal)
  • Branch: ArmyAir Force
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: August 19, 1942
  • Place Sworn In:
  • Date of Discharge: November 15, 1945
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: Rolland Eugene Carlson
    Race: White
    Age: 21
    Birth Date: January 3, 1921
    Birth Place: Bovey, Minnesota, USA
    Residence Place: Bovey, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: February 16, 1942
    Employer: Oliver Iron Mining Co., Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota
    Weight: 130
    Height: 5-8
    Complexion: Light
    Eye Color: Blue
    Hair Color: Brown
    Next of Kin: Ralph Carlson, Bovey, Minnesota

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - October 23, 1942 - "Dear Horace: Well, here I am in Chicago, going to school here now. I am taking a course in teletype maintenance and repair. This is perfect here compared with Camp Crowder. There are soldiers, sailors, marines, flyers from almost all over the world here. There is a big Service Club near the hotel, everything is free, and most of the fellows hang out there. Please send the newspaper here until I ship out again. I want to thank the Bovey Service Men's Club for writing to me. It's nice to know what they are doing to help the boys in Service. Your friend, Corporal Rolland Carlson."

    Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - December 11, 1942 - "I think its about time I wrote you to let you know where I'm at, because I haven't been getting the Press for about 3 weeks. I've been moving so much it will take a while for the paper to catch up with me. I was sent to Blythe Air Base in California. We stayed there one night and was sent to March Field, Calif., just in time to help pack up and leave for Great Falls, Montana. I covered about five thousand miles and crossed thirteen states in ten days, but Montana is the best state I've seen yet. Montana sure has some beautiful scenery. We followed the Missouri River in Montana for awhile and it was full of mallards. There were a lot of pheasants feeding in the fields. It's the first wild game I have seen since I left Minnesota. I want to thank the Bovey Sportsman's Club for the knife, it's pretty nice. Well, I'll sign off for now. Your friend, Cpl. Rolland Carlson."

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Rolland Carlson married Hazel Fleck in Minnesota in 1947. The couple lived in Bovey, Minnesota for 1 year and then moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Rolland was employed as a maintenance mechanic for U.S. Steel Corporation, retiring after 32 years. Poor health made it necessary for him to reside at the St. Cloud VA Hospital for the last 8 years of his life.

    Rolland Carlson died in St. Cloud, Minnesota and is buried in Itasca Calvary Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (Plot I-G-11-2-6). He is survived by his wife, Hazel; two daughters, Cheryl Somers and Kathleen Brown; and six grandchildren.

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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