Vernon Kilborne Rising

Vernon Kilbourn Rising, 98 World War II Officer and US Patent Office Metallurgist September 29, 1921 – February 3, 2020 My brother Vernon Rising’s studies at Purdue University were interrupted twice: first, to earn enough money to finish his education after his freshman year by a job at General Railway Signal Company in Rochester, and second, after another college year by World War II. When in early 1944 Vern completed his “90-Day-Wonder” training at Columbia University’s Navy Midshipman’s Program, the graduating ensigns were assigned duty on a series of LSTs alphabetically by threes: “commanding officer, executive officer, engineering officer.” In this way spelling made him initially an engineering officer. After brief further training at North Carolina State University, he was assigned shortly after D-Day to LST 308 and later LST 345 carrying troops and supplies across the English Channel, returning carrying wounded and body bags. After VE Day he returned to the United States from where, after an assignment at Command School at Little Creek, Virginia, he left for the Pacific. There he commanded LST 1043 in the New Guinea area and after VJ Day, with several of his crew members, he climbed the Manus Island volcano. After leaving the navy Vern served for a year as a merchant marine officer, but then returned finally to complete his engineering degree at Purdue. He was a metallurgist for Anaconda in Montana before joining the US Patent Office in Alexandria, where he remained until his retirement in 1986. While in Montana, he saved the life of one of his co-workers who had fallen and was being drawn down into a large stone-crushing hopper by roping himself and climbing down into the hopper. In Alexandria for many years he was active in regional Scottish dancing and other dance groups, and he especially enjoyed playing bridge with friends at the Hollin Hall Senior Center. Originally from Rochester, New York, the son of Walter and Emma Rising, he was a football and track (pole vault) athlete and band member at Brighton High School, activities he continued in college. He never married, but maintained very close relations with his surviving relatives. They include his brother, Gerald, of Amherst, NY, a nephew, Gerald Jr., of Denver, Colorado, and a niece Susan Kelch of New Braunfels, Texas, all of whom as well as his four grand and six great grand nieces and nephews and his in-laws will miss his care and kindness. Vern died at Mt. Vernon Hospital on February 3. A celebration of his life is being planned for March at Wakefield Towers in Alexandria.