G.I. Pedro Rodón: from the Dominican Republic via New York and Swansea to Normandy
Pedro Rodón had enlisted in the militia on April 9th, 1943 and was assigned to be a member of the 279th Company of the 505th Port Battalion. This Company was eventually reassigned to the 519th Port Battalion in May 1944. (However, it was assigned back to the 505th Battalion in November of the same year).
Private First Class Pedro RODÓN arrived in Swansea in Aug or Sept 1943 and was based at Clasemont Park, Morriston. He soon met Barbara Donne who lived in Cwmrhydyceirw, nearby.
Barbara Rodón, née Donne aged 19 years with her baby boy, born February 1945
Barbara was a GI bride and last saw her husband, Pedro RODÓN, who was four years her senior, at High Street Station on 1st May 1945. While on leave her husband told her that he had spent three or four months living in a foxhole.
She is one of those GI Brides who was tragically widowed before she could make the crossing to the States. Pedro was killed at Le Havre on 29 September 1945 when her baby boy was 7 months and she said that she will never forget him.
This photo is a copy of the one which was found on her husband after he was blown up by a mine at Le Havre, France.
He was buried at Omaha Cemetery, Normandy, France.
A Visit to her first husbands grave
Normandy US Miliary Cemetery
Her second husband was very kind as he helped her to visit the grave in Omaha Cemetery, Normandy where the staff there placed sand in the inscription on her husband’s gravestone, so that it would stand out in the photos. She said that it was a long road there, but she was glad that she had made the journey.
As a part of The Normandy Institute Class 2013, research by Student, Charlyne Cuyar, produced a website > as well as the presentation of his euolgy at the grave of Pedro RODÓN.
The Website was created by Charlyne Cuyar (student) with the assistance of Mrs.Yanira Borges from Antilles High School, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.
Student, Charlyne Cuyar, after the presentation of his euolgy, at the grave of Pedro RODÓN.
© The Normandy Institute
The grave of Pedro RODÓN, at The Normandy US Miliary Cemetery, France
© The Normandy Institute
Private First Class Pedro RODÓN
It was on June 2nd the 519th Port Battalion left the marshalling area and arrived at Newport, South Wales. The battalion was divided among numerous waiting Liberty Ships, freighters, and coasters and remained anchored until late in the evening of the 5th June.
During their journey to France that the men were officially informed of their destination and that they, the 519th Battalion, would be invading an area code named “Utah Beach” in Normandy. The responsibility of the 519th was to transport supplies onto the beach after it had been secured by the Allied forces. They were not expected to land on the beach until the following day once the German resistance was cleared. For example, roads and fields were thoroughly mined by Germans and needed to be cleared from the entire Utah Beach region. The living conditions of these longshoremen and other soldiers were extremely difficult. Seven weeks after their arrival, the port companies moved supplies under continuous threat from Germans. There were many raids that took place as they were working on the beach.
The 519th worked in Utah Beach for approximately five months and moved on to Antwerp as soon as the port was ready to use. The 279th Port Company was released from the 519th in November and reassigned to the port at Le Havre with the 505th. As a longshoreman, Private Pedro RODÓN unloaded supplies and equipment and the job of his unit was crucial in the war effort, for the soldiers could not fight without weapons, ammunition, and other supplies.
Pedro died a year after the D-Day landings, on September 29, 1945. Months after the Germans surrendered, leading to the end of World War II in 1945, Pedro was killed as he stepped accidentally on a land mine at Le Havre beach.
Barbara, Pedro’s widow, still living in Swansea, attended the Dedication of the American Forces at Newton Village Hall, in tribute to her first husband, Pedro.
Before redevelopment, the hall on this site was called Saint Peter’s Church Hall and I think it is very appropriate that the American memorial was sited where the GIs entered the old Church Hall.
American Forces Memorial
The memorial at Newton will be a lasting reminder of those young men who made such an impact on the local community
Barbara, who was accompanied by Margaret to the Dedication, was pleased that the memorial words now included her husband, within the phrase 'Mumbles, Caswell and surrounding areas' and I am pleased that we laboured so long to get them correct.
Her second husband was very kind as he helped her to visit the grave in Omaha Cemetery, Normandy where the staff there placed sand in the inscription on her husband’s gravestone, so that it would stand out in the photos. She said that it was a long road there, but she was glad that she had made the journey.
Her son married Margaret and they had they three fine boys and they have between them six children
Her second husband and her had one daughter and she has given her another great grandchild.
She is the oldest of five children and she remembered another local GI Bride who went back to US and that girl’s three brothers went as well.
Notes from Facebook on 5-March 2017, a conversation with Mags Rodón
My mother-in -law was American GI bride. He was killed in France. I have lots pictures and tales to tell, to much for on here. He was Based on the Bank up from Morriston Park, Clasemont.
There was also a camp on the Racecourse so called in Manselton and my mother and father used to tell me stories that they would go up to chat.
They all shipped out one night for D day and no-one heard them leaving overnight.
Dear Mags Rodón, Is your mother-in law Barbara Donne (now Hathaway) who lived in Cwmrhydyceirw when she met GI Pedro RODÓN, who was killed at Le Havre on 29 September 194? I met her in 2012 and I would like to meet her or her daughter again.
Pedro RODÓN'S early life
Military records stated that he was born in 1921. His parents named Enrique Rodón and Aurelia Pérez, lived in the Dominican Republic.
During his adolescent years, Pedro RODÓN migrated to New York, in search of a better future in the United States. During his residence in the state of New York, Pedro made a living as a cook and Head Waiter in the New Yorker Hotel.
Acknowledgement
This page is an example of a small part of the work of the Normandy Institute and their students.
Acknowledgement
This page is inspired by the work of the Normandy Institute and their students, including Charlyne Cuyar. It includes additional research by the website editor.
Château de Bernaville, 22 Village de Bernaville, 50360 Picauville / France
Website: Normandy Institute > https://normandyinstitute.org/
Special thanks to:
The Rodón family in Wales, especially Margaret Rodón and Barbara Rodón for all their support in our search for Pedro. Thank you for welcoming us to Pedro's life! Without your help, there would be no story about Pedro to tell.
Also...
Loraine Colón (Antilles High School teacher) for following Pedro's footsteps as far as Dominican Republic.
Hon. Raymond Acosta for opening a small window to Pedro as a soldier.
A Website was created by Charlyne Cuyar (student) with the assistance of Mrs.Yanira Borges from Antilles High School, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.
Normandy Institute Class 2013
Any errors or omissions on this page are the responsibility of the Website co-editor of A HISTORY OF MUMBLES, who is not connected with the work of the Institute.
We dedicate this page to the Memory of Pedro & Barabara RODÓN