PFC Harold Leroy Bricker

Familial History

PFC Harold Leroy Bricker was born 5 February 1923 in Hummelstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania to Viola Theresa Ney and John Henry Bricker. He died 27 November 1943 after his transport ship, HMT Rohna was sunk by German bombers off Algeria. In 1930, the family resided at 214 William Penn Highway. Ten years later, they had relocated to 21A Street, Swatara, Dauphin County.

Viola Theresa Ney was born 9 September 1892 in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Amanda H. Cover Dowd. She died 21 November 1974 in Hummelstown and was buried with John Henry. Her Memorial # was 19771099. She entered marriage with John in 1910.

John Henry Bricker was born 30 January 1892 in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania to Mary Ann Shaffer and Aaron Andrews Bricker. He died 23 January 1947 in Hummelstown and buried in the Fishburn United Methodist Church Cemetery, Hershey, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The Memorial # was 19771082.

The Bricker union produced 17 children composed of 6 daughters and 11 sons. Their names are listed chronologically with corresponding birth and death dates: Verna May Bicker Swartz (29 July 1911-16 June 1995); Mary Ann Bricker Holbert (23 September 1912-30 August 1996); Aaron A. Bricker (6 November 1914-25 December 1914); Russell Edward Bricker, Sr. (20 October 1915-12 March 2004); Marlin Sylvester Bricker, Sr. (16 October 1917-21 January 1996); Lee C. Bricker (1918-Unknown); Harvey Eugene Bricker (24 December 1919-27 March 2010); John Henry Bricker, Jr. (21 June 1921-1 May 1996); Harold Leroy Bricker; T/5 Paul Richard Bricker, Sr. (15 August 1924-20 January 2001); Dorothy Romaine Bricker Pottieger (1 February 1926-15 August 2006); Arlene Elizabeth Bricker Brunner (20 April 1927-18 June 2016); and CPL Harry Andrew Bricker (21 May 1929-28 July 2008); and the younger daughter and two sons were listed as Private

T/5 Paul R. Bricker, Sr. served in the US Army during World War II.

CPL Harry A. Bricker served his country in the US Army during the Korean War.

Service History:

PFC Harold Leroy Bricker registered for the draft in 1940 at Hummelstown. He was employed by H.C. Dugan in Rutherford, Pennsylvania. His height was listed as 5’, and his weight at 130 pounds.

He enlisted 9 January 1943 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harold had completed 1 year of high school was working in a warehouse, single and without dependents.

He was assigned to Company A, the 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation. His Service Number was 33496858. The US Hospital Admission Card Files indicated his boat was sunk by enemy actions.

The following information was condensed from HISTORY - 853rdAviationEngineers (853rdengineerbattalion.org): The Battalion boarded HMT Rohna 23 November 1943 and quartered in the aft decks 6 - 8 of the ship. The roll call listed 793 officers and men. After a complete day of boarding supplies and troops they departed at 1200 hours on the 24th. The ship was one of five in Convoy KMF-26 Annex. The troops continued to drill concerning boat stations, abandon ship, and other important tasks, during the voyage.

Around 1600 hours on the 26th, an “Alert” alarm sounded, and all troops were ordered below decks while the gun crews and fire-control details were ordered to their stations. Several German twin engine bombers were noted from the southwest and the escort vessels opened fire.

At 1700 hours, the HMT Rohna was hit by a Henschel Hs-293 radio-controlled missile. The He-177a was piloted by Hans Dochtermann and the bomb hit the ship at the water line and all power was lost. The 853rd were quartered near the impact site and due to the blast, fires, and exploding ammunition accounted for most of the dead.

The weather had become difficult, and the sea was producing 15-foot swells. Of the 16 lifeboats only 5 were successfully launched. At 1730 hours, LTC Frolich ordered “Abandon Ship”. The water was very cold, and hypothermia took the lives of many that had successfully escaped the sinking ship. USS Pioneer collected 606 survivors alone. Overall, 1,015 of the 2,000 personnel was lost. Over 100 crewmen also were casualties of the bombing.

For further information concerning the sinking and the US Classification as “Secret”, please open the following hyperlink. Rohna-Classified - TRSMA (rohnasurvivors.org).

PFC Harold Leroy Bricker was memorialized in the North African American Cemetery, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. The Plot was the Tablets of the Missing and the Memorial #56245827.

A CENTOPATH was erected in the Fishburn United Methodist Church Cemetery, Hershey, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The Memorial # was 10037493.

Commendations:

Purple Heart

Stories Behind the Stars:

Thank you, PFC Harold Leroy Bricker of the US Army Air Corps, for your sacrifice and service to our country.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII Fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen’ s name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you can contact the author, Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by”.

The

author is Dr. Jack W. Chisum, and the email address is jchisum@q.com.

Resources:

HISTORY - 853rdAviationEngineers (853rdengineerbattalion.org)

HMT Rohna - Wikipedia

Casualties - TRSMA (rohnasurvivors.org)

Rohna Classified documentary — Rohna Attack Casualty Search

HISTORY - 853rdAviationEngineers (853rdengineerbattalion.org)

Hs-293 radio-controlled - Search (bing.com)

Harold L Bricker in American Battle Monuments Commission - Fold3

PFC Harold Leroy Bricker (1923-1943) - Find a Grave Memorial

PFC Harold Leroy Bricker (1923-1943) - Find a Grave Memorial

Harold Leroy Bricker 1923-1943 - Ancestry®