Ford O. Rogers

Early career

Ford O. Rogers was born on March 23, 1894, in Waco, Texas, and was appointed midshipman at United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1913. He studied for almost four years, before he dropped out. Subsequently, enlisted as private in the Marine Corps on July 14, 1917, and served with Marine Corps Detachment at Baltimore, Maryland. Rogers was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on September 15, 1917, and was assigned to the flight training course at Naval Air Station in Miami, Florida. He was designated Naval aviator on April 14, 1918.

He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on July 1, 1918, and sent overseas as a member of the Day Wing, First Aviation Force within Northern Bombing Group under the command Major Alfred A. Cunningham. Rogers was later transferred to the USMC Squadron 8 located at Air Field in Oye, France. He subsequently participated in the several bombings missions against enemy bases, aerodromes, submarine bases, ammunition dumps and railroad junctions. He was later decorated with the Navy Cross for this service.

Navy Cross Citation

Action Date: September – November, 1918 Name: Ford Ovid Rogers Service: United States Marine Corps Rank: First lieutenant Regiment: First Marine Aviation Force Division: Northern Bombing Group (USN) Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Ford Ovid Rogers (MCSN: 0–840), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished and heroic service as an Aviator of an aeroplane while serving with the First Marine Aviation Force, attached to the Northern Bomb Group (USN), in active operation co-operating with the Allied Armies on the Belgian Front during September, October, and November, 1918, bombing enemy bases, aerodromes, submarine bases, ammunition dumps, railroad junctions, etc.

Decorations

Ribbon bar of Major General Ford Ovid Rogers at retirement: