(†)Ralph J. Oltman (121)

Born: 9/27/1922 Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois

Died: 7/31/1976 Streator, Livingston County, Illinois

Parents: Henry William Oltman and Dora Margaret Nee. Barton

Spouse: Hilda M. Budde (10/21/1945 - Minonk, Woodford County, Illinois)

Children:

Bio:

Ralph’s Muster Report

Ralph Oltman, USN, muster change to USS Roe (DD-418), with copy sent to USS Eberle, August 14, 1942 Norfolk, VA

In 1930, Ralph is 7 years old, the oldest brother to two younger sisters in Rochelle, Ogle County, IL. (724 9th St.). His dad is a wage worker at a mechanic. His neighbors work in many industries such as oil drilling, power plants, telephone operators, and canning/spinning factories, mostly all nuclear families with more than a handful of kids. By 1940, Ralph is 19 and still at home with same members in Rochelle (419 N 2nd St.). It seems that while Ralph is employed as a laborer in some kind of industry (kind of looks like “Asparagus Industry”), he is only working 26 hours a week and is marked as “seeking work” and not “working”. He makes $468 compared to his dad’s $1300 (it can be noted that $1300 is the highest income on the census page).

On the 4th of August 1942, Ralph mustered out of Norfolk Virginia, to embark on the USS Roe (DD-418). This destroyer had just returned to Norfolk after visiting Trinidad and Brazil and was preparing for the allied invasion of North Africa. While Ralph was very likely onboard on the way to Tunisia, the ship would screen for submarines as well as provide beach fire for troops landing at Port Lyautey in Northern Morocco. Ralph married Hilda Budde on October 21st, 1945 in Minonk, IL.

By 1950, Ralphs and Hilda live in Greene, Woodford County, IL with two daughters and his parents and two adult sisters, although 21-year-old sister Donna is away at college. Ralph is a shipping clerk in an industrial plant and 26 year old sister Vonda is a seamstress at the clothing factory while dad Henry is a farm owner. Neighbor Helen M. Kruse is a waitress at a snack shop while all the other jobs aren’t out of the ordinary such as farmers/farm workers, and lumber workers. He died in St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator, IL in the Summer of 1976.

419 N 2nd Street

Ralph’s house in 1940.

USS Roe (DD-418)

How the ship appears on June 4, 1942, just about two months before Ralph would deploy on her, from Wiki.