Memorial

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Pfc Roger E. Washburn attended Dartmouth College.

He enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts on 13 April 1943.

The retreating Tiger tanks at this stage – being well hidden in the next town a short distance away – concentrated their fire on Love Company as it was digging in. The 2nd Platoon sustained two casualties. KIA were Sgt. William C. Shwartz, Assistant squad leader and Pfc. Strawder H. Tifton, rifleman. Also, KIA that night, or the next morning, were Pfc. Roger E. Washburn, Rifleman, and Pvt. Marshall D. Hooie, bazooka man, 4 Love Company KIAs in a short period.

Per Thomas Clewes, L Company: A machine gun was in the steeple over a church in Nieder-Gandern. One of our tanks opened fire on it with their 50 cal. They practically tore off the top of the tower.
We raced into town, crossed the river on the east side and seized the bridge. As we moved into Neider-Gandern, the rest of the battalion following behind was pinned down by mortar fire.
Captain Bernard called for the machine guns out front. We crossed the river, and the company minus HQ and the mortar section moved out about 300 yards and dug in. I stayed back with the mortar section. The tanks and T.D.s hid among the houses in the town.
Shortly after dark, the rest of the battalion moved into town. The Germans fired a number of rounds at our position in the attempt to knock out the bridge. One round fell in close to the machine guns and killed Sgt Swartz and Pfc Tipton.

Around midnight someone yelled, "Enemy Tanks!" We could hear them but it was a while before we could make them out. We called for the T.D.s, but they stayed put in town. Soon we could see it was two tanks and a half-track, with infantry on board. Behind them was a horse and wagon with infantry and even some on bicycles.
The Rifle Platoon along the road opened fire on the tanks. Pfc Washburn was killed by a machine gun on the lead tank. The tank unloaded the infantry and then tried to grind in the foxholes along the road.