Virgil Rosonke
Sergeant 1st Class


Virgil served in the US Army Active and Reserve duty.
Active Duty from February 29, 1956 to December 7, 1957.
Basic Training at Fort Leonard, Wood, Missouri.
16 weeks in Electrical Repair School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and 18 months in the 34th Signal Battalion VII Corp. stationed in Stutgartt, Germany.
Fort Belvoir is 16 miles south of Washington D.C
2 years active Reserve Duty which involved weekly meetings and 2 week summer camp training in Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

Virgil and Alvera Rosonke were married on June 20, 1959, in Roselle, Iowa. Both Virgil and Alvera were born and raised in the Carroll, Iowa, area and attended the Carroll area schools.

Virgil is the son of Leo and Mary (Reiling) Rosonke, and Alvera's parents are Andrew and Laura (Riesberg) Hoffman.

Virgil and Alvera have lived in Manning, Iowa, since their marriage in 1959. Virgil farmed for many years and sold seed corn, seed beans, and Archer Oil on a part-time basis. He also worked at McMahons Feed and Seed Store for several years.

In 2010 they purchased their present home at 703 Pleasant Drive where they still reside. Virgil also worked at Ferrellgas Inc. for several years and now enjoys his hobby of scroll saw wood-cutting.

Virgil and Alvera are the parents of three sons and three daughters: Karen, married Wayne Pickhinke of Early, Iowa, and they have three children, Rachel, Camille, and Weston; Wayne, married Kathy (Sturm), and they live in Papillion, Nebraska, with their three children, Lindsay, Ashley, and Tyler; Donna, married Karl Rutz of Manning, Iowa, and they have two children, Elissa and Aaron; Dan, married Stephanie (Laver), and they reside in Manning with their two daughters, Brandi and Brianna; Terry, married Stacy (Barry), and they live in Norwalk, Iowa, with their two sons, Nick and Drew; Renee, married Bill Frankman, and they reside in Papillion, Nebraska, with their two sons, B.J. and Nathan.
Grandchildren not born when this picture was taken: Renee's twins, Kaleb & Kristen, and Dan's girl, Brianna.

Virgil Rosonke
Virgil served in the U.S. Army Active and Reserve Duty. His Active Duty was from February 29, 1956, to December 7, 1957. He took basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, spent sixteen weeks in Electrical Repair School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and eighteen months in the 34th Signal Battalion VII Corp. stationed in Stuttgart, Germany.
He spent two years in Active Reserve Duty, involving weekly meetings and two-week summer camp training sessions at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.
Sergeant 1st Class Rosonke wants everyone to know that America is No.1 because of all of the Veterans - Thanks, Guys and Gals.


Virgil's last day at work with Breda telephone before going to the Army.


February 28, 1956 leaving for the Army


Virgil at Fort Leonardwood on guard duty

During basic training with an automatic rifle Virgil was told to fire 10 shots in a row - no more - no less.
Virg ended up firing 11 shots so he was reprimanded and had to do 20 pushups for disobeying the order.

GRADUATES AT FT. BELVOIR
FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Pvt. Virgil F. Rosonke, son of Mrs. Mary T. Rosonke, Route 2, Carroll, Iowa, recently was graduated from the 14-week special electrical device repair course at The Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The course offered training in the repair of searchlights, sniperscope, and related infra-red equipment. The 19-year-old soldier entered the army in March of this year and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

December 14, 1956
Pvt. Virgil Rosonke Graduates in Germany
FUESSEN, Germany - Pvt. Virgil F. Rosonke, son of Mrs. Mary Rosonke, Route 2, Carroll, Iowa, recently was graduated from the wheel vehicle repairman course at the Army's European Ordnance School in Fuessen, Germany. After graduation ceremonies Rosonke returned to his regular duties as a repairman with the 34th Signal Battalion's Headquarters Company.
Rosonke entered the Army last February and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The 20-year-old soldier graduated from Mount Carmel High School in 1954.

August 28, 1956
Mrs. Mary Rosonke Carroll, Iowa RR #2
Hi Mom, I made it down to camp O.K. Got here at 1:30 & didn't need to get up until 4. I rode in a plane like this (front of postcard) from Chicago to DC.
I didn't have any trouble except at Des Moines - I had a hard time making myself go on the plane.
Hey I guess you know I leave here Friday so don't send any mail here. I'll write more when I'm not so tired. I'll send you my new address as soon as I get it.
Virg.

1265 miles southeast of Manning Iowa.

Virgil's car in front of new barracks - they were the first to use it - 16 miles South of Washington D.C.

"After Basic training I was sent to 14 weeks of schooling in Virginia. My Military orders said NO VEHICLES. WHEN AT HOME I TALKED TO SOME OLD ARMY GUYS - They said if they were me they would take my car any way. I had bus fare money from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia and so did 4 other guys.

By taking my car I got my $ plus their $ and we drove to Virginia. I had to get an on post sticker and some special car insurance. Since no one else in school had a car I collected a lot of taxi $. We went to Boston, New York City, etc. Me being a farm boy I let some big city guy do the driving, we both enjoyed it.




Virg and two GI buddies on top of Empire State Bldg (New York City).

The guy to my right was the only one who went to school with me in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and also was stationed the same place in Germany. He was from Los Angeles.

Two more things about the guy from L.A. (Virg humor) "When we were serving overseas - Three of us went to Rome, Italy crossing the Swiss Alps in an Old English Ford Convertible. Trunk hinges were shot and we would just set it off to the side when we used the trunk. Motor got hot on mountain roads and the clutch slipped when you took off going up hill. Can't go into all that now. Back to the humor. L.A. couldn't wait to get to Italy and get some good Italian pizza. Now in 1956 I didn't know what pizza was or looked like. Well we stopped at a little Italian restaurant and he ordered pizza. When they came with it I told L.A. I had not seen any cattle or hogs along the road so that either was cat or dog meat on top of the pizza. He could hardly eat it after that remark. On this trip we were on top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. No guard rail on top. L.A. struts over to look over the edge, I got behind him by the belt, PUSHED him forward then pulled him back fast. L.A. dropped down on his knees too scared to move."


Virg's ticket to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa

One drunk heaved in the back seat - I made him clean it up or he would never ride along again. I remember going to all-night drive-in theaters.

I found out one Friday that I was going to be shipped to Germany on Monday. To make a long story short I had to go through the Army Chaplin before I was able to get a leave to take my car back to Iowa (see a photo copy of the leave). I also tried to get a leave for someone in the Midwest so I'd have a sub driver. I can still hear that Company Commander telling me '"You knew you were not to bring a car here in the first place, if I hear one more word about it your leave will be canceled."'


If you look at the leave front and back I had till mid-night to be back in the barracks. Not going into a lot of details but about the only time I slept was on the plane from Des Moines to D.C.

I reported back to the barracks at 10 minutes to midnight on Monday. At 2:00 clock Tuesday morning they got me up for Kitchen Patrol Duty. I remember standing up sleeping with a broom in my hands."


Barracks & mess hall


School


Virgil in front of the Reflecting Pool west of the Washington Monument June 1956

Spc-3rd Class Rosonke last day at work station. I repaired maybe 1500 land mine detectors by this bench.
That sign in front of me had some Rosonke humor on it which is a MILITARY SECRET.


Virg's drivers permit for Europe


Virg's wall locker when he was a private.


??, Virgil Rosonke (with gas mask), Paul Ortell from Omaha, Nebraska
Virgil is holding a M1 Rifle and Paul is holding a Carbine Rifle which they nicknamed a "greaser."
The soldiers could call these weapons a rifle or firearm but they would not dare call them a gun in the Army.


napkin from a cafe in Innsbruck, Austria


Virgil's meal ration card


Virgil's truck and some of his buddies in football formation while on field duty in the German Black Forest.

Virgil and 2 little German girls.


USO show ticket in Rome, Italy

Virgil's train ticket from Stuttgart to Bremerhaven, Germany. From there he got on the troop ship home.
NOTE: his birthday is 20 November 1936, TICKET DATED 20 November 1957. Also Rosonke is misspelled.

Spc-3rd Class Rosonke (4 days after his 21st birthday) somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean, going from Stuttgart, Germany to Manning, Iowa. Troop Ship named UPSHUR (see life preserver in back ground).
The waves were as big as a barn and Virgil lost 12 lbs in 9 days; he was "sick as a dog."

Kenneth Jensen asked Virgil Rosonke (shown above) to make this collapsible podium for the V.F.W. hall to replace the old one.
On May 31, 2004, this podium was used for the first time at the Memorial Day services at the Manning Cemetery and the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery (where this picture was taken).