William John Rogers
Sergeant, L Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
William was born the 7th of August 1930 in Massachusetts the only son of three children born to Owen and Louise Rogers. He was raised in Westborough, Massachusetts and enlisted into the Army shortly after moving to Marlborough with his parents the 24th of January 1949. Following his basic training he was assigned to L Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was ultimately promoted to Sergeant and was with the unit in the summer of 1950 at the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula.
Sent to Korea the 2nd Division arrived in Pusan on the 23rd of July 1950 and participated in the breakout from the Pusan perimeter on the 16th of September 1950. Pushing past the 38th Parallel and further into North Korea, William was wounded by white phosphorus in late October 1950 shortly after the capture of Pyongyang, and following treatment was returned to his unit. Following the North Korean counteroffensive which began the 25th of November 1950, William was killed in action near Kunu-ri North Korea. His remains were repatriated to the United States and he is buried at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Westborough, Massachusetts. Rogers Avenue in Marlborough is named in his honor.
