COL Roland D. Tausch was born and raised around New Braunfels, Tx. He captained his High School football team and was valedictorian of the Class of 1946. Following graduation, Roland enlisted in the Army and served a year in the Counter Intelligence Corps. He took a congressional exam for West Point, and received the nomination. There he became Cadet Captain, and commander of one of the Corps 22 company units.

In Dec. '51 his bride, Geraldine M. O'Sullivan his OAO (One and only) since Cow year, flew to Ft. Hood TX., where they were married under the auspices of the 1st Med. Tank Battalion, 1st armored Div. They served three tours in Germany. He attended the standard service schools including the War College in 1972. Their first daughters were born in Germany. Their son at Ft. Knox, and their third daughter, Tracy at Ft. Leavenworth. Gerry and Roland lived at 44 addresses in 24 years of married life in the Army. Roland's troop duties were at every level from platoon leader to battalion commander in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armored Divisions among others.

The two tours in Vietnam, a total of 31 mos, were both as advisor to the Vietnamese in the Delta, a true paddy-rat. Roland was fortunate to take the first U.S. team, all volunteers, to the southern-most outpost in Ca Mau with the famous Chinese priest and guerrilla fighter, Father Hoa. Under the directive from President Kennedy, the first aerial inundations of "Agent Orange" toxins were dropped on Ca Mau, with the ironic Dept. of Defense code name of "Operation Ranch Hand".

In his second tour as Province Sr. Advisor in Vinh Long (he was asked to volunteer by the C/S/, Gen Johnson), he was again fortunate to serve with the patriot, LTC Doung Hieu Nghia. This area was also subject to frequent "Agent Orange" dissemination in the governments effort to reduce enemy jungle coverage. He also worked under the great American, John Paul Vann.

Upon retirement, he joined his wife, Gerry, in business. They owned and operated a professional speaker bureau booking celebrities and experts world-wide for 12 years. They rejoined network marketing with the world's foremost holistic health care company, Nikken. Once again, they had a worthy mission for the rest of their lives.

They had two granddaughters. Their oldest granddaughter was in the West Point class of 1998, and is the seventh generation West Point on her father's side, and third on her mother's. She is married to a West Point graduate, class of 1999. Their youngest granddaughter was accepted into the class of 2009. They also have two Great granddaughters.

COL Tausch's heavy "Agent Orange" exposure caught up with him. The diagnosis was multiple myeloma. He battled it as hard as any battle he had fought in the past.

As one who aspired to West Point from age six, to world travel, to happy marriage and to the chance to serve his country, Roland fully enjoyed all these benefits and the memories that go with them. He was proud to be a member of the class of 1951.

Rolland is greatly loved and missed by his wife Gerry, who continues to work and pray for our soldiers today.