US Navy Veteran (1894-1928), Spanish American War and World War I. During the Spanish American War he was a gunner's mate third class on USFS New York, flagship of Admiral William Sampson and at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898.
John immigrated to the United States from Rauma on the west coast of Finland on 8 January 1889. The Grand Duchy of Finland, the predecessor to the modern Finland, existed between 1809 and 1917, as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian Czar as Grand Duke. John Rosloof (Roslof) embarked at Ellis Island in New York as most 19th century documented immigrants did. On 16 January 1894, he enlisted in the US Navy at New York City, reporting aboard his first ship, USS Wabash. During the Spanish American War, he was a Gunner's Mate 3rd class on the protected cruiser named after his adoptive home-state, USS New York, that was the flagship of ADM William T. Sampson during the war.
He petitioned for US Naturalization in New York and became a citizen on 18 October 1899, renouncing all allegiance to the "Czar of Russia". Following the war he served on many ships, including USS Franklin, USS Monongahela, USS Lancaster, USS Raleigh, USS Castine, USS Massachusetts, USS Hancock, USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Virginia, USS North Carolina (where he was stationed per the 1910 Census), USS Severn, USS Vermont, USS Maine and USS Robin. He earned the Sampson Medal for his service on USS New York during the Spanish American War and a Good Conduct Medal (USS New York) on 19 January 1900 at the end of his first six year enlistment, later earning four (4) bars for subsequent awards at the end of four-year enlistment periods, over his 34-year career. He transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve on 6 May 1916 but remained on active duty and served during WW I as a Chief Gunners Mate.
On 3 August 1917, at Pasquotank, North Carolina, 45-year old John married Etta Rose Dwyer, of New York City, who was thirteen years his junior. They settled on Long Island, in the town of Lakeview and raised a family of four children, Margaret [Van Orden] (b. 1918), Evelyn [Kammerer] (b. 1922), James (b. 1924) and John (b. 1925). John retired from the Navy on 28 January 1928. After retirement, he worked as a gardener for the New York State Parks.
Following the US entry into WW II, John and Etta's oldest son, James, who shared an April 6th birthday with his father, enlisted at 18 as an infantryman in the US Army at New York City on 24 October 1942. In May 1944, James was a 20-year old battle-hardened sergeant with Co. K, 7th Rgt., 3rd Inf. Div. fighting in Italy. He had been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Anzio on 31 January 1944 when he wiped out a German position firing his machine gun from an exposed position. James was killed in action on 23 May 1944, the first day of the Anzio "break out" attack that started the advance towards Rome and ended a four-month stand-off and some of the most brutal fighting of the war. The day that James was killed saw the most soldiers die in a single division during WW II. James' remains were interred at the American Military Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy and eventually returned to the US in 1948. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
As a military man and a father, the combat-death of his oldest son undoubtedly weighed heavily on John. He passed away nineteen months later, at age 71 on 29 December 1945, survived by his wife and remaining three children. He was a member of the American Legion and Lynbrook Post.
John immigrated to the United States from Rauma on the west coast of Finland on 8 January 1889. The Grand Duchy of Finland, the predecessor to the modern Finland, existed between 1809 and 1917, as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian Czar as Grand Duke. John Rosloof (Roslof) embarked at Ellis Island in New York as most 19th century documented immigrants did. On 16 January 1894, he enlisted in the US Navy at New York City, reporting aboard his first ship, USS Wabash. During the Spanish American War, he was a Gunner's Mate 3rd class on the protected cruiser named after his adoptive home-state, USS New York, that was the flagship of ADM William T. Sampson during the war.
He petitioned for US Naturalization in New York and became a citizen on 18 October 1899, renouncing all allegiance to the "Czar of Russia". Following the war he served on many ships, including USS Franklin, USS Monongahela, USS Lancaster, USS Raleigh, USS Castine, USS Massachusetts, USS Hancock, USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Virginia, USS North Carolina (where he was stationed per the 1910 Census), USS Severn, USS Vermont, USS Maine and USS Robin. He earned the Sampson Medal for his service on USS New York during the Spanish American War and a Good Conduct Medal (USS New York) on 19 January 1900 at the end of his first six year enlistment, later earning four (4) bars for subsequent awards at the end of four-year enlistment periods, over his 34-year career. He transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve on 6 May 1916 but remained on active duty and served during WW I as a Chief Gunners Mate.
On 3 August 1917, at Pasquotank, North Carolina, 45-year old John married Etta Rose Dwyer, of New York City, who was thirteen years his junior. They settled on Long Island, in the town of Lakeview and raised a family of four children, Margaret [Van Orden] (b. 1918), Evelyn [Kammerer] (b. 1922), James (b. 1924) and John (b. 1925). John retired from the Navy on 28 January 1928. After retirement, he worked as a gardener for the New York State Parks.
Following the US entry into WW II, John and Etta's oldest son, James, who shared an April 6th birthday with his father, enlisted at 18 as an infantryman in the US Army at New York City on 24 October 1942. In May 1944, James was a 20-year old battle-hardened sergeant with Co. K, 7th Rgt., 3rd Inf. Div. fighting in Italy. He had been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Anzio on 31 January 1944 when he wiped out a German position firing his machine gun from an exposed position. James was killed in action on 23 May 1944, the first day of the Anzio "break out" attack that started the advance towards Rome and ended a four-month stand-off and some of the most brutal fighting of the war. The day that James was killed saw the most soldiers die in a single division during WW II. James' remains were interred at the American Military Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy and eventually returned to the US in 1948. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
As a military man and a father, the combat-death of his oldest son undoubtedly weighed heavily on John. He passed away nineteen months later, at age 71 on 29 December 1945, survived by his wife and remaining three children. He was a member of the American Legion and Lynbrook Post.
US Navy Veteran (1894-1928), Spanish American War and World War I. During the Spanish American War he was a gunner's mate third class on USFS New York, flagship of Admiral William Sampson and at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898.
John immigrated to the United States from Rauma on the west coast of Finland on 8 January 1889. The Grand Duchy of Finland, the predecessor to the modern Finland, existed between 1809 and 1917, as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian Czar as Grand Duke. John Rosloof (Roslof) embarked at Ellis Island in New York as most 19th century documented immigrants did. On 16 January 1894, he enlisted in the US Navy at New York City, reporting aboard his first ship, USS Wabash. During the Spanish American War, he was a Gunner's Mate 3rd class on the protected cruiser named after his adoptive home-state, USS New York, that was the flagship of ADM William T. Sampson during the war.
He petitioned for US Naturalization in New York and became a citizen on 18 October 1899, renouncing all allegiance to the "Czar of Russia". Following the war he served on many ships, including USS Franklin, USS Monongahela, USS Lancaster, USS Raleigh, USS Castine, USS Massachusetts, USS Hancock, USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Virginia, USS North Carolina (where he was stationed per the 1910 Census), USS Severn, USS Vermont, USS Maine and USS Robin. He earned the Sampson Medal for his service on USS New York during the Spanish American War and a Good Conduct Medal (USS New York) on 19 January 1900 at the end of his first six year enlistment, later earning four (4) bars for subsequent awards at the end of four-year enlistment periods, over his 34-year career. He transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve on 6 May 1916 but remained on active duty and served during WW I as a Chief Gunners Mate.
On 3 August 1917, at Pasquotank, North Carolina, 45-year old John married Etta Rose Dwyer, of New York City, who was thirteen years his junior. They settled on Long Island, in the town of Lakeview and raised a family of four children, Margaret [Van Orden] (b. 1918), Evelyn [Kammerer] (b. 1922), James (b. 1924) and John (b. 1925). John retired from the Navy on 28 January 1928. After retirement, he worked as a gardener for the New York State Parks.
Following the US entry into WW II, John and Etta's oldest son, James, who shared an April 6th birthday with his father, enlisted at 18 as an infantryman in the US Army at New York City on 24 October 1942. In May 1944, James was a 20-year old battle-hardened sergeant with Co. K, 7th Rgt., 3rd Inf. Div. fighting in Italy. He had been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Anzio on 31 January 1944 when he wiped out a German position firing his machine gun from an exposed position. James was killed in action on 23 May 1944, the first day of the Anzio "break out" attack that started the advance towards Rome and ended a four-month stand-off and some of the most brutal fighting of the war. The day that James was killed saw the most soldiers die in a single division during WW II. James' remains were interred at the American Military Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy and eventually returned to the US in 1948. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
As a military man and a father, the combat-death of his oldest son undoubtedly weighed heavily on John. He passed away nineteen months later, at age 71 on 29 December 1945, survived by his wife and remaining three children. He was a member of the American Legion and Lynbrook Post.
John immigrated to the United States from Rauma on the west coast of Finland on 8 January 1889. The Grand Duchy of Finland, the predecessor to the modern Finland, existed between 1809 and 1917, as an autonomous part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian Czar as Grand Duke. John Rosloof (Roslof) embarked at Ellis Island in New York as most 19th century documented immigrants did. On 16 January 1894, he enlisted in the US Navy at New York City, reporting aboard his first ship, USS Wabash. During the Spanish American War, he was a Gunner's Mate 3rd class on the protected cruiser named after his adoptive home-state, USS New York, that was the flagship of ADM William T. Sampson during the war.
He petitioned for US Naturalization in New York and became a citizen on 18 October 1899, renouncing all allegiance to the "Czar of Russia". Following the war he served on many ships, including USS Franklin, USS Monongahela, USS Lancaster, USS Raleigh, USS Castine, USS Massachusetts, USS Hancock, USS Marietta, USS Olympia, USS Virginia, USS North Carolina (where he was stationed per the 1910 Census), USS Severn, USS Vermont, USS Maine and USS Robin. He earned the Sampson Medal for his service on USS New York during the Spanish American War and a Good Conduct Medal (USS New York) on 19 January 1900 at the end of his first six year enlistment, later earning four (4) bars for subsequent awards at the end of four-year enlistment periods, over his 34-year career. He transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve on 6 May 1916 but remained on active duty and served during WW I as a Chief Gunners Mate.
On 3 August 1917, at Pasquotank, North Carolina, 45-year old John married Etta Rose Dwyer, of New York City, who was thirteen years his junior. They settled on Long Island, in the town of Lakeview and raised a family of four children, Margaret [Van Orden] (b. 1918), Evelyn [Kammerer] (b. 1922), James (b. 1924) and John (b. 1925). John retired from the Navy on 28 January 1928. After retirement, he worked as a gardener for the New York State Parks.
Following the US entry into WW II, John and Etta's oldest son, James, who shared an April 6th birthday with his father, enlisted at 18 as an infantryman in the US Army at New York City on 24 October 1942. In May 1944, James was a 20-year old battle-hardened sergeant with Co. K, 7th Rgt., 3rd Inf. Div. fighting in Italy. He had been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Anzio on 31 January 1944 when he wiped out a German position firing his machine gun from an exposed position. James was killed in action on 23 May 1944, the first day of the Anzio "break out" attack that started the advance towards Rome and ended a four-month stand-off and some of the most brutal fighting of the war. The day that James was killed saw the most soldiers die in a single division during WW II. James' remains were interred at the American Military Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy and eventually returned to the US in 1948. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
As a military man and a father, the combat-death of his oldest son undoubtedly weighed heavily on John. He passed away nineteen months later, at age 71 on 29 December 1945, survived by his wife and remaining three children. He was a member of the American Legion and Lynbrook Post.
Inscription
CHF GUNNER'S MATE US NAVY
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
