PFC Larry Jay Roach

courtesy of Jan Hensley

PFC Larry Jay Roach was born 27 Jan 1920 in eastern Rockingham County, Virginia. He was the 13th of 15 children born to Noah Washington and Clarinda (Morris) Roach. A brother was killed in 1934 when he fell from and was run over by a truck he was riding to church. In 1940 the family was farming near Rivanna, Virginia on a farm valued at $8000.

Larry was working as a farm hand when he was drafted in February 1942. After completing his military training he was sent to England and assigned to K Company 116th Infantry. He trained with his unit for the planned amphibious assault that was to be part of the liberation of occupied France. PFC Roach was wounded in action on 6 Jun 1944 and died in a field hospital on 8 Jun 1944 before he could be evacuated to England.

PFC Roach was repatriated and re-interred next to his brother in the Mount Paran United Methodist Church Cemetery in Ruckersville, Virginia.
 
We have found no familial relationship to SGT Jay Robert Roach. Younger brother, Ralph Roach, served in the U.S. Army in WW2 and Korea.