First Lieutenant Roessel was the navigator of a B-26C Invader bomber with the 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Wing. On 7 August 1952, while on a night intruder mission, his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on 31 December 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

For his leadership and valor, First Lieutenant Roessel was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.