Charles Rodenbough

What We Lost of the Greatest Generation Charles Rodenbough

A biography of Lt. Victor H. Idol, Jr., who was an American pilot shot down June 17, 1944 during the days of the Normandy Invasion. When he landed behind German lines, he was shot by the SS. His story is typical of the men who lost their lives in that conflict and have become known as the "Greatest Generation." He enlisted before Pearl Harbor and his life ended just after his 24th birthday. The record takes him from his college days when he became a student pilot and through his military training. Out of England, he flew his Thunderbolt over the battlefields of Europe through the invasion of Normandy. He sought no glory. He served as his duty to the United States. His family suffered through the uncertainty of "Missing in Action" and the delayed grief of "Killed in Action." The Allies were victorious. The memorabilia of his life and service have been preserved by his family in his foot locker. Sixty nine years later, they have been archived at the Museum & Archives of Rockingham County (MARC).