A young lieutenant returned to Santa Cruz from Germany by way of Los Gatos.

John Joseph Rogers Jr. was born in Alameda County, California, on February 9, 1942, to John and Vera Rogers. John spent his formative years in Santa Cruz County where he attended local schools. He graduated from Santa Cruz High School with the class of 1960. He later attended Cabrillo College.

Rogers entered the US Army in the mid-1960s and completed basic and advanced training. It is believed that he attended the Officer Candidate School program in the army that qualified him for a commission as second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division that served in Germany during the Vietnam War era. John married Vera and the couple had two children, Teresa and David.

In August 1970, John Rogers was serving as a first lieutenant in the 24th Infantry Division when it returned from Germany to Fort Riley, Kansas for deactivation. On August 28, 1970, Rogers died from an unspecified cause. At that time, the Rogers family were living in Los Gatos, California.

First Lieutenant John Joseph Rogers Jr. was buried in Oakwood Memorial Park on August 31, 1970.

(CBR; SCSn August 30, 1970 39:6; Oakwood MP headstone; WIKI, 24th Infantry Division)