Franklin Earl Rodgers
Private First Class, U.S. Army

Franklin Earl Rodgers was born on 9 January 1929 in Bloomington, IL, the son of Loris C. and Johanna Marie Gerjets Rodgers.

In July 1951, Private First Class Franklin Earl Rodgers was serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 27 July, PFC Rodgers' unit was engaged with enemy forces in the vicinity of Taeu-san, North Korea. Company B was engaged in an assault against well-fortified hostile emplacements on a strategic ridgeline when it was subjected to a heavy volume of fire from an enemy machine-gun emplacement. After several unsuccessful attempts had been made to destroy the weapon with rifle grenades, PFC Rodgers, knowing that he and his comrades faced annihilation in their present positions, moved forward alone to silence the machine-gun. Ignoring the intense enemy fire being concentrated on him, he single-handedly rushed the emplacement, hurling grenades. PFC Rodgers' assault destroyed the gun crew and enabled his comrades to renew their attack. As the friendly force moved forward, PFC Rogers, although exposed to hostile fire, moved into the captured enemy position and turned the machine-gun on other hostile emplacements. He then directed an effective volume of fire on the enemy to cover the advance of his comrades and succeeded in inflicting numerous casualties among the hostile forces. While doing this, he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. PFC Rodgers' extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice made it possible for Company B to secure its objective with a minimum number of casualties; it also earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Franklin E. Rodgers (ASN: US-55063950), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Private First Class Rodgers distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Taeu-san, Korea, on 27 July 1951. On that date, Company B was engaged in an assault against well-fortified hostile emplacements on a strategic ridgeline when it was subjected to a heavy volume of fire from an enemy machine-gun emplacement. After several unsuccessful attempts had been made to destroy the weapon with rifle grenades, Private Rodgers, realizing that his comrades faced annihilation in their present untenable positions, moved forward alone to silence the machine-gun. Disregarding the intense enemy fire being concentrated on him, he single-handedly rushed the emplacement, hurling grenades. In his fearless assault, Private Rodgers successfully destroyed the gun crew, thus enabling his comrades to renew their attack. As the friendly force moved forward, Private Rogers, even though exposed to hostile fire, moved into the captured enemy position and turned the weapon on other hostile emplacements. He then directed an effective volume of fire on the enemy to cover the advance of his comrades and succeeded in inflicting numerous casualties among the hostile forces before being hit and mortally wounded by return fire. The extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice of Private Rodgers made it possible for his company to secure its objective with a minimum number of casualties.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 946 (November 27, 1951)

Burial

Private First Class Franklin Earl Rodgers is buried at Park Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Bloomington, McLean County, IL, in Plot: O-115-1.

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