Essex Paratrooper
Killed in France

   Pfc. Roland Terhune, paratrooper, was killed in France June 16, according to word received from the War Department by his mother, Mrs. Emily Terhune of 198 Nesbit terrace, Irvington. Pfc. Terhune celebrated his 23d birthday on June 14.

   Born in Newark, Pfc Terhune was graduated from Irvington High School. He was employed at the Hoffman Beverage Co. before entering the service two years ago. He received his initial training in infantry at Camp Blanding, Fla. and volunteered in December 1943, for paratrooper service. He had been overseas three months.
   In his last letter, written before D-DAY, the paratrooper asked his mother to "pray for me." Besides his mother, Pfc Terhune leaves two foster brothers, Pvt. Walter Foster, with the army in Hawaii and Charles Foster of the Irvington address.

Note: Roland's nephew, Robert Deeble, advises that other family members left by Roland Terhune included his half sister Mrs. Victoria Deeble of Penns Grove, NJ; Grandfather Frederick Shortman, NJ; Uncles Edward Shortman, TN; Roland Shortman, NJ; Aunts Alice Blackman and Florence Bloemeke, both of NJ.

Source: Newark [ New Jersey] Evening News, July 14, 1944, Page 7 col. 2

In 1997 Charles Foster Jr., Nephew to Roland Terhune, wrote the following to Robert Dibble.

   "My earliest recollection of our grandmother, whom I will refer to as Nan, short for Nana, because that's the name she preferred instead of 'grandma,' occurred some time in the late twenties or early thirties, in Millburn, N.J.
   We lived about two blocks from where she and Roland were living. I can't remember all the moments we spent together, but they all seemed like good and happy times. Nan was a big woman with a heart of gold.
   Her son Roland and I played together, but he was much older than I and sometimes when the 'rough housing' would get out of hand, Nan would come to the 'rescue' and save my hide. She never let Roland take advantage of me. I thought of him as the older brother I never had.
   A few years later Roland was working and living on his own. He was a handsome young man with many girl friends..
   Eventually, the War caught-up to my Uncles Walter and Roland. They were both drafted and were inducted into the Army. Roland volunteered for duty in the Paratroopers. Roland would come home and stay a few days to visit his mother Nan, because she was living with us at the time. The last visit he made was the last time we would ever see him.
   It was bad enough reading about the terrible war, with the personal suffering and tragedies and the lives that were in turmoil with loved ones in combat, but they seemed impersonal and distant. You felt safe and somewhat detached. But this was to change for our family in a way we never expected.
   We received a telegram from the Army announcing that Roland had been lost in combat during the invasion of Europe on D-Day. Grandma was not at home when we received the bad news. My father signed for the telegram, knowing full well what it contained.
   When Nan did return home, she did not want to open it. She insisted that my Dad read it. When he opened the telegram and began reading it aloud, our grandmother was so overwhelmed with grief that she collapsed. My father never finished reading the entire message; he was too overcome with grief. We were all in shock. This terrible experience shook the family for quite some time.
   When Roland died, Grandma was devastated; the loss was more than she could bear. I didn't realize it at the time, but our relationship would become very close as I came to fill the void caused by the loss of Roland.
   Six years later when I got married, our grandmother attended the wedding. She smiled and danced and it was good to see her being happy again. But I know that Roland was never far from her thoughts."