He was the fourth of six children, and graduated from Jefferson High School, Jefferson Wisconsin, class of 1941. He took part in intramural boxing all four years.

Ropinski was the flight engineer on B-24J #42-73196, serving with the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 436th Bombardment Squadron. They were part of a formation of B-24s on a bombing mission to Insein, Burma, near Rangoon. After the bombing run, the B-24 was hit in the left wing by anti-aircraft fire and began smoking badly and dove sharply to the left, chased by three enemy fighters. They were last seen descending into a cloud bank.

He received the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Because his body was not recovered, he is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing.

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from Wisconsin.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56785179/roman-j-ropinski

Roman J Ropinski