Dan Coats: “the world lost a great public servant and well-known Hoosier last weekend with the death of the Honorable Richard L.…”

“the world lost a great public servant and well-known Hoosier last weekend with the death of the Honorable Richard L. Roudebush. He was born on a farm in Noblesville, IN, 77 years ago. In 1941, he graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis with a degree in business administration. Soon after, he enlisted on the Army just 1 month before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and was shipped out to Egypt in September 1942, where he joined with British Forces during five major battles in North Africa. While participating in the invasion of Italy, his landing craft was hit and was sunk by the enemy, but he survived and continued the fight with the 15th Air Force. Richard Roudebush's distinguished career of serving United States does not end with his role in World War II. He demonstrated his leadership among his war veteran peers with being actively involved in the Indiana Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars and eventually being elected as national commander in chief of the national VFW. A friend of Mr. Roudebush's remarked that he was so discouraged at the way Hoosier Congressmen were handling things in Washington, that he decided to run for Congress himself. He did, and in fact, he was elected to the House of Representatives five times, and from three different districts.”