He was a self-employed general contractor for many years. He was a paratrooper with the Army Air Corps 82nd Airborne in World War II, serving at Normandy on D-Day. He was a member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church and a past American Legion member. He was also a former volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America. He enjoyed woodcrafting, model trains, hunting and fishing.

He is survived by his wife, A. Margaret Pierich; 3 sons, Michael of Halifax, Kenneth of Mechanicsburg and Steve of Colorado Springs, CO; 2 daughters, Catherine Alarie of Harrisburg and Mary Ann Vigilante of Carlisle; 1 sister, Frances Arnick of Annville and 9 grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday morning at 11 a.m., at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. The viewing will be held on Monday morning from 10-11 a.m. at the church. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 1010, Rockville, MD 20852.

Arrangements by Hoover Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc.

(The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, 10 Jul 2004, Page B4 - courtesy of Tedd Cocker)
 

(courtesy of Brenda & Pete Kohr)

Grave marker for Rudolph J. Pierich in the Resurrection Cemetery Harrisburg (Dauphin county), Pennsylvania.

Rudolph enlisted in the Army at Harrisburg, PA on 7 July 1942.  He served with the Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion.

He jumped into Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and was reported MIA that same day.

Pfc Pierich was held as a Prisoner of War until 7 September 1944 when he was liberated from the Rennes Military Hospital in Rennes, France and returned to duty.