Notes - Generation 1

BIRTH: 1920/25 March at home, 208 South Madison St., Allentown, PA
Birth certificate lists him as sixth child born alive. Both parents 26 years old.
High School graduation 1939 Allen High School, Allentown, PA

John at the age of 19 with his first car,
a 1935 Ford

Some of the Roberts children Circa 1928
L to R Julia, John, Gladys and Lucy Ann

John worked in Washington DC in the early part of World War II for Potts and Callahan, excavating. grading and landscaping the Pentagon. John was in charge buying parts for 300 dump trucks. He was also involved in maintenance procedures for the truck fleet. After a one year deferment as "essential to the war effort", he was drafted in 1943 and he was sent to Atlanta to Lawson General Hospital to train as a surgical technician. He left for England in October, 1943 and was stationed in Watton, Norfolk with the 3rd Stratigic Air Depot Command, which serviced B24 Bombers. After the Battle of the Bulge, the medics were given M1 rifles and shipped to the Continent to replace the soldiers lost in the battle. When he reached Germany he was assigned to the 106th Division running POW camps and was now classified as a company aide man. He was assigned to the 28th Division and returned stateside July 30, 1945 with ribbons for European Service Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Combat Medic Badge and its accompaning Bronze Star. He heard of the Japanese surrender while attending a performance at the Paramont Theatre in New York and was discharged in October 1945.

On March 31 1951, he married Roselma Chambers at Saint James Roman Catholic Church, Steelton, PA.

John in his army days
Circa 1944

Roselma Chambers

BIRTH: 1925/19 June - in the old Polyclinic Hospital in Harrisburg.
Certificate issued at the time by the Bureau of the Census.

June 17, 1942 Graduated from Steelton High School, Steelton, PA

Civil Service tests were given to the Commercial students in the senior class in April of 1942 and they were hired immediately to work at the Middletown PA Army Air Force Base. They reported for work at 7:30 AM and were placed in shifts. Roselma was 16 years of age at the time and was assigned to night shift, 11:30 PM to 7:30 AM in the Supply Department. The first night they spent eight hours familiarizing themselves with the new IBM electric typewriters. They worked these shifts for six weeks, six days a week, 48 hours and then were transferred to the next shift. The night of graduation Roselma was working middle shift, 3:30 PM to 11:30 PM, and took the night off for the graduation ceremony. She lost a night's pay, $6.00. Salary was $1260.00 per year. In 1942 this was a great salary.

When Roselma was 18, she joined the Catholic USO, the Labor USO, and the YMCA USO and attended their dances. Also attended Saturday night dances at the Penn Harris Hotel Ballroom held by the Harrisburg Masonic Order. At the Labor USO she helped serve breakfast on Sunday morning and sang in their chorus.