ROGER LEE FIFE was born December 5, 1927 at Blackwell, Oklahoma. He was the son of Major and Mrs. Max M. Fife, now of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Roger received his early education in the Blackwell Public Schools, then attended the Oklahoma Military Academy for Senior High School and Junior College, where he graduated in May 1945, just prior to his entry as a cadet at the United States Military Academy in July 1945.

The Howitzer of 1949 very appropriately characterizes Roger: "Shedding Oklahoma's dust but retaining its good humor, Roger entered West Point with sincerity and a smile. Finding that horses make better friends than text books, he acquired fame on the Polo Field and two stars on the B-robe, but Roger wasn't one to let his troubles get him down. Here's to you Rog - may there be an abundant supply of hoss-flesh and friends, for you do right by both".

Following graduation from West Point in June 1949, Roger wheeled his new Chevrolet through a short summer vacation, then reported to Ft. Riley, Kansas for the Ground General School, thence to Fort Benning where continuing training in his chosen branch, the Infantry, he made a splendid record and qualified as Expert or Sharpshooter on all weapons used in the Infantry Officer's Basic Course.

Roger's orders, upon leaving Ft. Benning specified Japan via Seattle, Washington. Upon arrival in Yokohama on August 13, I95O, Rog requested assignment to a combat unit and was immediately placed on the roll of Company "A", 8th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, which was already in action in Korea. He moved his platoon into the battle line on the night of August 21, 1950 and, until his untimely death, participated in all of the heavy fighting in the Taegu sector of the fighting front.

Our most vivid account of Roger's keen sense of responsibility and devotion to duty, comes from one of his West Point classmates. Lt. Lucien E. "Lou" Messinger, III, who was also a platoon leader in Company "A" and was in the immediate area when Roger answered the final call on September 22, 1950. In writing to Roger's griefstricken parents, Lou said in part:

"Our Company 'A' was attacking Hill 624 in the vicinity of Tabu-dung. It was the second attempt which we had made to take this hill. Only a week before our Battalion had been entirely cut off and we had spent three days without food. During the course of the attack, Roger's platoon almost reached the summit of Hill 624. Roger was in front of his platoon and as he turned to shout orders to his men, he was hit by enemy rifle fire and killed instantly. Here in Korea Roger and I became very close and his death was a terrible blow to all of us. His men admired, respected and loved him. We have lost a fine friend and a great and fearless leader. Lt. S.M. "Snuffy" Smith Jr., another clasmate, who had been stationed at Roger's Command Post as a forward observer for 'A' Battery of the 99th Field Artillery Battalion, was also in the vicinity at the time of Roger's death."

In his 22 short years, Roger lived a full, clean, Christian life. He made a host of friends as evidenced by the hundreds of expressions of sympathy which have been received by his parents from all parts of the nation. Roger truly exemplified a theory of life so ably expressed in the following words:

"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now. Let me not defer it, or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

His Father.

Personal Eulogy