He immigrated from Germany in 1960 to Canada and subsequently went to Michigan and joined the United States Army. He attended basic training in Fort Benning, GA. He was a door gunner in the 176th Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter). He served under Lt. Col. Charles Kettles who flew him to safety after he was wounded in the May 15, 1967 battle at Duc Pho. He returned home to the United States where he subsequently married Miriam B. Huebschman and became a clerk at the U.S. Postal Service. He retired from the USPS after 38 years. He is survived by his wife Miriam of 43 years and their three children, Petra Bradley (University of Maryland) and her husband Brian, Eric C. Scheck (U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer 3, 7th Signal Command) and his wife Royce, M. Nicholas Scheck (U.S. Coast Guard, Chief Petty Officer) and his wife Christine; five grandchildren, Caitlyn Nicole, Samantha Grace, Doyle Joseph, Jayden Patrick, and Kolbe James; and sister, Jutta Wagner (Stein, Germany).
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday at 11am at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church on Riverside Drive in Salisbury. Interment with military honors will be held Monday at 12pm at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery Eastern Shore in Hurlock.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Roland to the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Member Association, http://vhcma.org/ or the Wicomico County Humane Society, 5130 Citation Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804.
