Wilmer Pershing Roland, 96 of Friendly, MD passed away on Monday October 12, 2015.> Wilmer is survived by his wife of 74 years, Gene Melissa Roland; son, Wilmer Ronald “Ron” Roland and his wife, Mae of Dickinson, TX; daughter, Shirley Ann Buckler “Nee” Roland and her husband, Lewis; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Wilmer met his wife, Gene when she came to DC to work for the government prior to WWII. They married in June of 1941. Wilmer was a Veteran of WWII, serving in the 1306 Combat Engineers in General Patton’s 3rd Army. His regiment entered England, landed on Utah Beach a few days after the initial invasion and fought the Battle of the Bulge. He traveled all the way to Budapest where he saw Russian women troops wearing bandoliers over their white uniforms. He was in Vienna for VE Day and made his way to Marseille for troop transport home but was redeployed to the Philippines and Japan. Wilmer was a good story teller and if asked would share remarkable memories of his war time adventures. At the age of 94 he was interviewed by “Witness to War”. His memories are now available for viewing in the Library […]
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