LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky lost another member of the greatest generation this month.
Bob Rogers was a World War II veteran, who served in the European Theater. Drafted in the U.S. Army, he served from 1943 to Thanksgiving Day of 1945. He spoke about his time in the service with WHAS11 back in 2017, during his stay at Belmont Village.
"All of us knew at some point, we were going into the Armed Services, because everybody was," Bob said in the interview.
It's a story the younger generations will only know through a history book. But Rogers' children grew up hearing them firsthand. Louisville sports fans know his son as the voice for UofL Cards, Paul Rogers. He flips through a photo album from his dad's Honor Flight trip to D.C. back in September of 2019.
"I went with him and it was just a fabulous day. He loved it," Paul said. "He was part of a special generation of people who just went to war, did what they were asked to do, and somehow those who lived through it managed to tuck that away in some secret compartment, never to dwell and go on to live productive and happy lives."
Bob came home from war, married the love of his life, had three children, and made a lifelong career in mechanical engineering.
"The thing that was fascinating to me that he did [was] when nuclear submarines first came out they had to figure out a way to keep the air breathable. They couldn't come up and get fresh air. So he was involved in the design of CO2 Scrubbers, they were called. It took the carbon dioxide out of the air and somehow, beyond my comprehension, converted it to oxygen. And then, these nuclear submarines could stay underwater for a long period of time," Paul said.
But at home, Bob was the world's greatest dad and a man who loved his Kentucky Wildcats -- despite his son calling games for the Cards. The two shared in this moment during a UofL interview in 2013:
Bob Rogers: I'm very proud of Paul and what he has done. I think he does a great job calling the games. So it's a real pleasure to listen to him.
Jack Fox (interviewer): Do you go to some of the games?
Bob Rogers: No, I'd rather stay home and watch them and listen to him on the radio.
Jack Fox: In the comfort of your home and you got your son doing it.
Bob Rogers: It's really enjoyable to listen to him, and it makes me very proud.
Rogers continued tuning in until his final day.
"He told us he was ready to go be with mom and within 24 hours he was," Paul said. "The last thing he did, my sister was with him. He told her what TV channel to put the TV on to watch the UofL game, told her what radio station so they could listen to me, and they were listening to me when he fell asleep. Then he died the next morning, so maybe I was the last thing he heard."
"If you were a friend of Bob Rogers, you were a friend for life. We'll miss him for sure," he said.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.