Unsung Heroes: Al Rohleder

Al Rohleder

Quiet Bartian Scored WWII Counterintelligence Coup

by Delaney Williams

The obituary of Alfred H. “Al” Rohleder reads like that of an ordinary man. He worked as an engineer for Phillips Petroleum Company. He was born in Kansas. He had a wife, two sons, and two daughters. One small line reads, “He served with the U.S. Army during World War II in the European Theatre.” Such a small mention of his military service does not do justice to his remarkable achievements.

Al Rohleder was born in Emmeram, Kansas on May 4, 1920 to Pete and Clare Rohleder. At the age of 20, Al went into active duty. Being brought up by German immigrants and speaking German at home, he was fluent and was able to speak and write in the language. This skillset landed him in the Counterintelligence Corps. He was handpicked to be one of four interpreters to assist General Patton during his invasion of Germany.

Al was a part of the Counterintelligence Corps of the 35th Infantry Division of the 9th Army, a group tasked with sabotage, espionage, and tracking down Nazis. In April of 1945, he was tipped off about the location of a Gestapo chief hiding in a forest nearby. He assembled a small group of 11 handpicked soldiers to go on a mission to capture the man. On April 24, the team emerged from the forest with the notorious Major General Heinz Jost in tow, an accomplishment that earned Rohleder a Bronze Star.

While Al was not allowed to talk about all of his experiences in the C.I.C., a newspaper article after his discharge declared: “A GESTAPO CHIEF HIS BIG PRIZE Sgt. Alfred Rohleder Captures Heinz Jost, One Worst of Nazi Tyrants.”

Al was released from active duty on October 22, 1945. Shortly after, on November 27 that same year, he married Charlette Kippes. The couple made their home in Hays, Kansas, where Al owned his own appliance store. In 1953, he went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company. In 1955, he and his family relocated to Bartlesville for his job.

His son, Steve Rohleder, recalls that he did not talk about his time in the military. “The only time his service was brought up was when he was at the VFW or American Legion,” said Steve. “I learned a lot more about him from his brothers later on … He was involved in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, but I don’t know to what degree … He was a part of the military police.”

Al Rohleder remained in the Army Reserves until the 1960s. Steve recalls him as being a classic father figure. He was involved in the Boy Scouts with Steve and Mike as a scoutmaster. Their troop was based out of the family’s church, St. John’s. He was involved in the Little Theatre and the Frank Phillips Men’s Club and supported his children’s sports. He was also involved in the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, and the V.F.W. Steve remembers his father helping him with his Sunday morning paper route.

Al passed away on April 18, 1997 in Bartlesville, at the age of 76. He was interred with all military rites in the Memorial Park Cemetery.

Al Rohleder pictured during World War II, second row, third from left.