John Arlington Rodgers
Name: John Arlington Rodgers
Rank/Grade: SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service
Age: 25
Marital Status: Single
Race: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: Jul 6, 1942
From: Fontana, California
Length of Service: 1 year
Tour Began: Oct 12, 1967
Casualty Date: April 20, 1968
Location: BINH DINH, SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile/Non-Hostile: HOSTILE
Classification: GROUND CASUALTY OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Body Recovered: Yes
Religion: Episcopal, Anglican
Vietnam Memorial: Panel 51E - - Line 12
John Rodgers and Larry Mack were members of the snakedoctor crew that were killed in action while trying to aid a downed aircraft. RIP!
John and i always had fun when the doughnut dollies brought there games around he was very intelligent and a great loss to me and the world.
I can’t tell you how nice it is to find someone who knew John. He was my big brother and my best friend… Thank you for being his friend
ER
I recentley volunteered at the Vietnam Moving Wall when it came to Fontana, and was so moved by the inspiration of it all that I have made my own memorial to the boys of Fontana who gave the ultimate sacrifice to be diplayed forever at the Fontana VFW on memorial day. Thank You JOHN
i recently made 26 monuments for fontana vfw honor walk.johns was one of the 26.by making and engraving the 26 monuments i feel like ive got to know a little bit about each one of them.i was honored to do the job and if you havnt seen honor walk its as beutiful and prestigous as any war memorial.
I went to Ft. Eustis with John and learned about the UH1D helicopter and always looked up to, and respected him. He was a true professional soldier. Even though his prefix was (U.S.draftee) he was still a committed soldier to his profession. He taught me alot. We were stationed in Viet Nam Matainence for awhile untill I started flying, and he even questioned me jokingly about if I really wanted to join the flight platoon. And when he was asked to crew the “Snake Dr.” I could hardly believe he took the offer, but they were in need of a good man. And he stepped up to the plate. When I heard of the tragic day he was killed I was horrified. I think of him very often, may you rest in peace John, you was a good friend.
We became friends during college days at San Jose State, and remained friends after graduation. We drank a lot of beers we did. I still think of him nearly every day.
JR was truly a gentle man. He had planned to be a geologist. He always laughed that no self-respecting girl would want to be married to a guy who studied rocks. Then my wife would tell him say that any girl would be incredibly lucky to find a guy like John. That he died in a theater of war is so incongruous to the kind of person he truly was.
John was a great crew member and friend. That fateful day Larry Mack, John and I rigged a helicopter for extraction. As the Snake Doctor was coming in to pick us up a explosion changed everything. I was the only survivor.
RIP my friend. I will never forget.