Roger John Burns was born June 19, 1913, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Thomas “Tom” (1876-1950) and Emma Mae Platt (1891-1962) Burns. According to US Census records, Thomas was born in Cumbria, England, and Emma was born in Rome, New York. Thomas immigrated to the United States in 1890, worked at a wire company firing the boiler (1920 census), and as a gravel shoveler on a road construction crew (1930 census). Thomas was a private in the US Army 29th Infantry during the Spanish-American War.  

The Burns family consisted of Robert W (1911-1969), Roger John (1913-1945), John T (1915-1969), Katherine (1917-1977), and Cora (1918-1948).  Roger graduated from Rome Junior High School and went to work at General Cable Corporation. He married Nickalena “Nickie” Abruzzio (1916-1991) on May 16, 1936. Roger and Nickie had two children, Rose “Bunny” (1936-2013) and James E (1939-2010). Roger was a member of St. Mary’s Church of Rome, New York.

The Burns and extended families have a wide history of military service: Roger’s brother, John, was a private in US Army Air Corps during WWII, and married Concepta “Connie” Abruzzio, sister of Nickie, and of Louis Abruzzio (https://www.fold3.com/memorial/530009509/louis-j-abruzzio/facts).  

Another brother, Peter Abruzzio, served in the US Marine Corps in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Roger’s sister, Cora Burns, was married to Patsy Pirillo, Rome, NY, who served in the Army during WWII. 

Roger registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. Roger was 5’5”, 136 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, and ruddy complexion.  Roger enlisted in the Navy on October 10, 1943. He was sent to Utica, NY, on November 20, 1943, along with 39 others for final physical examinations and induction into the armed forces. Those accepted into the Navy received a one-week furlough before reporting to a training center. Roger received his basic training at Sampson Naval Training Center in New York and then reported to the Naval Training Station Newport in Rhode Island. 

Seaman 2 Class Roger Burns reported as a gunner aboard the USS Randolph (CV-15) on October 9, 1944, the date of its commissioning, with Captain Felix Locke Baker, USN, in command. The Randolph was an Essex-Class aircraft carrier, and was named for Peyton Randolph, the First President of the Continental Congress (1721-1775).  

From seaforces.org: https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/cv/CV-15-USS-Randolph.htm

Following shakedown off Trinidad, Randolph got underway for the Panama Canal and the Pacific. On 31 December, she reached San Francisco where Air Group 87 was detached and Air Group 12 reported on board for four months duty. 

On 20 January 1945, Randolph departed San Francisco for Ulithi, from which she sortied on 10 February with Task Force 58 (TF 58). She launched attacks on 16–17 February against Tokyo airfields and the Tachikawa engine plant. The following day, she made a strike on the island of Chichi Jima. On 20 February, she launched three aerial sweeps in support of ground forces invading Iwo Jima and two against Haha Jima. During the next four days, further strikes hit Iwo Jima and combat air patrols were flown almost continuously. Three sweeps against airfields in the Tokyo area and one against Hachijo Jima followed on 25 February before the carrier returned to Ulithi.

Riding at anchor at Ulithi on 11 March, a Yokosuka P1Y1 "Frances" kamikaze hit Randolph on the starboard side aft just below the flight deck, killing 27 men (including four reported missing and five transferred to the hospital ship Relief where they died) and wounding 105 during Operation Tan No. 2. 

Repaired at Ulithi, Randolph joined the Okinawa Task Force on 7 April. Combat air patrols were flown daily until 14 April, when strikes were sent against Okinawa, Ie Shima, and Kakeroma Island. The following day, an air support mission of fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes hit Okinawa and a fighter sweep struck an airfield in southern Kyūshū. Under daily air attack from 17 April on, Randolph continued to send her aircraft on CAP and support missions throughout the month.

In May, planes from the carriers hit the Ryukyu Islands and southern Japan, Kikai (Amami Islands) naval base and airfields, and Kyūshū airfields. Becoming the flagship of TF 58 on 15 May (under Admiral Marc Mitscher), Randolph continued her support of the occupation of Okinawa until 29 May, when she retired via Guam to the Philippines.

On June 7, 1945, two USAAF P-38s Lightning’s were practicing strafing runs over USS Randolph. One of the P-38s lost control and slammed into the forward deck of Randolph, killing thirteen sailors and destroying ten of Randolph’s aircraft.

S1c Roger Burns was seriously injured in the crash. That day he and ten other injured sailors were transferred to the USS Refuge (AH-11) hospital ship for treatment. He died on board this vessel at 2035 on June 14, 1945, as a result of multiple burns and pneumonia. His remains were transferred to USAAF Cemetery, Leyte, Philippine Islands, Grave #712.  S1c Roger John Burns was later interred in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines. His remains are in Plot B, row 13, Grave 133.  

USS Refuge (AH11)

Mrs. Nickie Burns never remarried. She worked at the Rome Savings Bank and later at the Roux Wire Die, Company, in Oriskany, before retiring in 1982. Nickie was a graduate of Rome Free Academy, and member of the Mohawk Valley Opera Society, Rome Historical Society, Rome Community Theater, American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, and a Gray Lady with the American Red Cross. Nickalena Abruzzio Burns died July 6, 1991, at age 74, in Rome, New York. She was the mother of Rose Yager and James Burns, the grandmother of five, and great grandmother of seven.  

S1c Burns was awarded the Rome Medal of Honor, along with his brother-in-law, Louis Abruzzio. S1c Burns was the 76th citizen of Rome, New York, to die in WWII.  

Sources:

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56751245/roger_john-burns: memorial page for S1 Roger John Burns (Jul 1913–14 Jun 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56751245, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by DA1SY (contributor 47291847).

Familysearch.org

HonorStates.org: https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/93871/

American Battle Monuments Commission: https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/burns%3Droger

American Battle Monuments War Dead Certificate: https://www.abmc.gov/print/certificate/464216

US Embassy in the Philippines: https://ph.usembassy.gov/manila-american-cemetery-and-memorial/

USS Randolph (CV-15): https://www.ussrandolphcv15.com/

Naval History and Heritage Command: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/refuge.html

New York Heritage – Sampson Naval Training Station: https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15109coll6/id/2538/

Small State Big History – Naval Training Station at Newport: https://smallstatebighistory.com/naval-training-station-newport-place-u-s-naval-history/

End notes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.           

Date: 3/3/2024