Richard's Coffee Shop - Veteran of the Month
Roderick B. MacFarquhar was born on February 23, 1925 in Stratford, CT. On Sunday, December 7 1941, Rod and some friends were attending a Sunday matinee at the movies when it was announced that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Rod was a sophomore in high school.After graduation from Roger Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, CT, Rod and a group of his high school classmates volunteered for the draft. They were allowed to stay together and were assigned to Camp Gruber, OK where the Army was forming the 7th Artillery Battalion. Rod was trained to perform maintenance and serve as a crew member on the 155mm Self-Propelled Rifle which was built on a Sherman tank chassis.
Many years later Rod was awarded a Purple Heart from injuries suffered when the jeep in which he was a passenger hit a wire strung across the road by the Germans. He was in the field hospital for more than a month with deep cuts to his arms, neck and injuries to his legs from being thrown from the vehicle. With victory in Europe secured his unit was reassigned to Camp Cook, CA to prepare for the invasion of Japan. Rod was home on leave when the Japanese surrender was announced. He was discharged in 1945. Rod wanted to attend college, but due to the enormous number of returning veterans on the GI Bill, college admission was difficult. Rod re-enlisted in the Army in January 1946 and was assigned to Germany with the Quartermaster Corps where he served three years. In 1950 when the Korean War broke out Rod was serving with the Quartermaster Corps stationed at Ft. Benning, GA. In June 1950 Rod's unit was sent to Korea where they participated in the Inchon Landing, which was perhaps the most ambitious and daring amphibious assaults every attempted. It changed the tide of the war and allowed the allies to reach the Yalu River. However the tide of war once again turned when hundreds of thousands of Chinese Communist troops were committed to the war.
In December 1951 Rod returned to the US where he was assigned to the Army ROTC in New Jersey. Rod was discharged in December 1953. Upon his return to civilian life Rod worked for companies such as Columbia Records and Pepperidge Farms in the logistics area. It was at Columbia he met his wife, Dorothy. They have been married 50 years and have 3 children. |
The unit first shipped to England and in July 1944 landed in Europe. They saw action in northern France, Belgium, and Holland and were awarded the European Campaign Medal with four campaign stars including one for the Ardennes-Alsace, The Battle of the Bulge.
Soon after arriving in Korea Rod requested re-assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division. He was assigned to the 2nd ID, Headquarters Co. By the end of the conflict his unit had been awarded the Korean Service Ribbon with six campaign stars. Rod had reached the rank of Sergeant First Class and had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal.