Second Lieutenant Frank A. Roth (O-749452) was from Union City, New Jersey. He is listed as Missing in Action but (clearly) presumed dead. His remains have never been recovered.
Ken McPherson was in touch with me in 2016, after The Hudson Reporter published a letter that I wrote to the Editor looking for possible relatives of Frank. A native of Jersey City, near Union City, Ken was able to give me some insight into the local area.
Union City was populated by German families in large numbers at the turn of the Century. There was a large German Beer Garden, Schutzen Park in Union City up until the 70’s even though the population was already almost gone by the late 40’s.The Roths could have been an old, Union City German American family. They most probably would have left after WWII.
– Ken McPherson
I know very little about Frank at this time, although Ken passed on an interesting 1940 Census record.
Someone named Frank Peter Roth, age 56, was living at Ward 8, Union City. He is estimated to have been born in 1884 in Ohio. He was married to Mary Roth, and had four children. Philomene Roth, age 28, Frances Roth, age 25, Rosalie Roth, age 23, and “Francis” Roth, age 20. I don’t have any idea if they are related to Frank.
I also found an obituary from 2002, for a Walter Roth of Jersey City. It looks like he had a brother named Frank Roth, and a sister named Ida. The funeral services took place in Union City, so that seems like a solid lead as well.
Frank Roth was killed in action on his first and only mission while serving as the Navigator on the Joe Noyes Crew. If you have any other information on him, please get in touch with me so I can update this page.
Resources
- The 95th Bomb Group (H) Database
- Frank A. Roth – The American Air Museum
- Service Personnel Not Recovered Following WWII from NEW JERSEY
- Obituary of Walter Roth (2002) – Legacy.com
- Ken McPherson, from Jersey City
