Roger G. Christensen was born on March 5, 1920, in Marne, Cass County, Iowa. He was the son of George Christensen and Gladys Christensen. He was the husband of Megan Mary Davies Christensen.

He attended grade school in Brighton No.2, high school in Marne and Atlantic, graduating from Atlantic High School in 1937. He received a bachelor of science degree in animal husbandry in 1941 from Iowa State University.

Roger served in the 535th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator on the B-17 #42-31097 'Mission Belle' during World War II. He was one of the survivors of their December 1, 1943 mission over Leverkusen, Germany, when their aircraft was hit by flak and attacked by enemy fighters. The airplane was severely damaged, so the crew decided to ditch the airplane in the River Lek between Streefkerk and Nieuw-Lekkerland, Netherlands. During the enemy attack, one member was Killed in Action while two other members drowned in the river. The surviving members were taken as POWs. 2Lt Christensen was a POW for 18 months.

Christensen attained his highest rank in the military as a Lieutenant Colonel. After military service, he was a G.I. instructor in Atlantic City, Iowa, for several years. He was a lifelong member of the Marne United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 422 in Walnut, Order of the Eastern Star 230 in Marne, Grove Lodge 492, AF & AM in Marne, Atlantic Chapter and Council 19 of RSSM, and was a trustee of the Marne Masonic Temple Association. He was also active in the Democratic Party in the county, served on the Cass County Zoning Commission, a Brighton Township trustee, and was a director of the Brighton Mortgage Company.

Roger died on October 2, 1990, at the age of 70, in Torrance, California. He is now buried in the Brighton Cemetery, Marne, Cass County, Iowa.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com