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Contact Info
Home Town Pima
Date of Passing Aug 08, 2014
Location of Interment Mesa City Cemetery - Mesa, Arizona
Wall/Plot Coordinates Block 1323, Lot 1, Space 3C Lower
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Obituary
Rohner, Cal V. 89, passed away on August 8, 2014, in Mesa, Arizona, surrounded by his family and sweet wife Eyvonne. He was born in Pima, Arizona to Alfred and Lavena Rohner. During his lifetime, Cal worked as a machinist, entrepreneur, contractor, dairyman, and inventor. He built equipment and machinery that was necessary for any task at hand, including parts for his concrete pumping truck as well as go-carts for his family. He joined the Navy and served in World War II. He used his skills in photography in the service and it became a lifelong hobby. Cal was an outdoor chef. He was locally famous in Southern California for his "Rohner burgers". He moved to Arizona 40 years ago where he was well known for his delicious barbecued smoked beef. He enjoyed spending time with his family and was always involved in serving others, both in and out of church callings, including nearly 20 years of service at the Mesa LDS Cannery. Cal is survived by his wife of 70 years, Eyvonne, five children and their respective spouses, 25 grandchildren, 70 great-grandchildren, and two siblings. Visitation is Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014 from 6-8 PM at Bunker's University Chapel, 3529 E. University Dr., Mesa, AZ. Funeral services are Friday, Aug. 15, 2014 at 10 AM, preceded by a visitation at 9 AM, at the Mesa East Stake Center, 2228 E. Brown Rd., Mesa, AZ. Interment will be at City of Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St., Mesa, AZ - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?pid=172083667#sthash.hZdOczsH.dpuf
Sworn in to Navy December 7, 1942
boot training Farragut Idaho
University Of Minneapolis Navy Machinist’s School for 3 months
Advanced steam school n Milwaukee
Training in the manufacture and operation of a new type of steam engine
Uniflow steam engine. Trained on the largest ferry on Lake Michigan
Received orders to Treasure Island. After three months assigned to USS Gunston Hall (an LSD) which was being built at Murdock Ship Yard in Oakland, CA
When ship was completed left San Francisco for the Pacific War theater
First invasion Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshalls group
Made ships photographer
Involved in invasions in Guam and Guadalcanal
Promoted to machinists Mate 2nd class
Next invasion was island of Roy In the Solomon chain
Gunston Hall carried 20 LCMs, 20 medium tanks, 14 amphibious tractor
Transferred to the USS Libra an attack cargo ship
Zigzagged across the sea until invaded Guam, when secure returned to San Francisco for repairs.
Repairs completed, loaded with 14000 tons of dynamite headed for New Guinea - a lone ship of the high seas for 19 days
Ordered to attend optical school at Navy base on Mare Island in Vallejo, CA
trained on all types of navigational instruments.
While here bombs were dropped in Japan ending the war
Discharged at Terminal Island Thanksgiving Day 1945.
Rank Machinist 2nd class and specialist in optics
Link to GUNSTON HALL photos from WW II and the 1940's
After intensive shakedown along the California coastGunston Hall prepared to sail for the Western Pacific, where she was to participate in every major operation from February 1944 to the end of the war, 18 months later. Loading 225 men from the 4th Marine Tank Battalion and 2 amphibious units, as well as 15 LVTs, 15 tanks, 17 LCMs, and 15,000 gallons of gasoline, Gunston Hall departed San Diego on 13 January 1944. On D-Day for the assault on Kwajalein, 1 February 1944, she stood offshore to unload her cargo as the Marines stormed the beaches on Roi and Namur Islands. Gunston Hall remained in the area to repair small craft until 6 February, when she reembarked her former passengers and equipment and sailed to Guadalcanalvia Funa Futi. The pattern she set here held for her participation in eight further key invasion efforts in the Pacific as the Navy "Island-hopped" marines and Army troops ever closer to the Japanese home islands.
Through the rest of 1944, the versatile landing ship took part in the initial assault invasions of Emirau Island 20 March, of Hollandia on 22 April, Guam on 21 July, Peleliu Island on 15 September, and Leyte Island on 20 October. The last assault culminated in the momentous Battle for Leyte Gulf, one of history's greatest naval engagements. While not actually involved in an invasion effort, Gunston Hall trained troops and shuttled supplies and men from the rear islands to the staging areas.
In 1945 Gunston Hall participated in the initial assault landings at Luzon on 9 January, Iwo Jima on 19 February, and Okinawa on 1 April. After the first invasion waves went ashore at Okinawa, the Pacific's largest amphibious operation, involving over 1,200 ships and haIf a million men,Gunston Hall remained anchored at nearby Kerama Rettountil 1 July to repair small craft. She was untouched by the enemy's fierce kamikaze attacks although she saw several other American ships hit and crippled.
