Interior Communications Electrician First Class

UNITED STATES NAVY

Roger Edwin VanPelt was born on January 6, 1935, in Cranford, N.J., the youngest of three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. VanPelt.

He attended elementary schools in New Jersey, and moving to Colorado with his family, was graduated from South Hight School in Denver in 1953. During his high school years, Rober became associated with the Naval Air Reserve, and was active in school activities. After graduation he was employed as an apprentice surveyor by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Colorado and attended Colorado State University for a short time.

Roger started his active duty in the Navy on June 23, 1957, and received his basic training at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill. He was selected for training as an interior communications electrician and attended the Class "A" School at San Diego, Calif. Volunteering for submarine duty, he was ordered to the Submarine School at New London, Conn., and was graduated on April 9, 1958. His first submarine assignment was in the U.S. S. Conger (SS 477), where he qualified and earned the right to wear the siver dolphins badge, mark of the submariner, on December 26, 1958.

Roger then attended the nuclear-power training school at the submarine base, and the nuclear-power training unit at Windsor Locks, Conn. Upon graduating on January 27, 1961, he was assigned to the nuclear-powered submarine U.S.S. Thresher (SSN 593), reporting for duty on February 27, 1961).

In addition to his wife, Mrs. Lucile S. VanPelt; and two sons, Timothy Wade and Randal Thomas VanPelt; he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. VanPelt of Denver, Colorado; two brothers, W. Austin and Gordon VanPelt.