Remembering Local World War II Heroes: Rolf Virta, Ralph Wells

There have been certain wartime deaths that may not always be what they appear on the surface.

Soldiers have gone away to foreign soil, putting their lives on the line before dying heroic deaths on a bloody battlefield.

However, World War II saw the deaths of many other victims who never even left the country but instead died while on training missions or under often mysterious circumstances occurring on their military bases.

Pfc. Rolf R. Virta was reportedly killed in an automobile accident on his Army base in February of 1946 after the war had ended. However, only later was it revealed that Virta’s death was more than just a motor vehicle accident, and there have been questions concerning a possible military cover-up.

This is the continuation of the series Remembering Local World War II Heroes.

Pfc. Rolf R. Virta (1924-1946)

Rolf R. Virta was born in Gardner on Aug. 24, 1924, the son of the Rev. Arthur F. and Hilja J. (Kangas) Virta. His father was pastor of the Finnish Congregational Mission Church on Mission Street in Gardner, and the family lived across the street.

The Rev. Virta’s first wife died after the couple had several children, including sons Toivo “Tod,” Herbert, Reino and Oliver, and daughters Esther, Ellen, Martha and Ruth. When he remarried with Hilja, Rolf and his brother, William, were born.

Virta attended Coleman Street School and graduated from Gardner High School in 1943. Soon after his graduation on Aug. 4, 1943, he entered the Army Air Force at Fort Devens. He was accepted as an air corps cadet and later studied at the University of Cincinnati.

He was transferred to Bergstrom Field, Austin, Texas, where he was a member of the 349th Troop Carrier Group, Ninth Air Force.

On the evening of Feb. 5, 1946, Virta and a fellow soldier were walking down a dimly lit road near Bergstrom Field when a Jeep appeared out of the darkness without its headlights lit. Suddenly, the Jeep swerved after spotting Virta but was unable to avoid him. Virta was struck and severely injured.

Unfortunately, Virta never recovered from his injuries and died the following day on Feb. 6, 1946, at the age of 21.

It was later learned that the Jeep’s driver was a military official who was allegedly driving drunk.

The Virta family was not given any information as it was said to be “an internal investigation.” It was also later reported that the fellow officer who was with Virta was rushed off to another base so no one associated with Virta was able to speak with him.

Any attempts by the family to learn the details of the accident were rebuked by the government and the military, which apparently held its own investigation.

The situation sounded eerily familiar to the supposed cover-up of Pvt. Ferdinand Trudel, who also died under mysterious circumstances.

Virta was posthumously awarded the American Theater Ribbon and World War II Victory Medal.

He was buried in Gardner at Crystal Lake Cemetery. Details surrounding his death are still shrouded in mystery.

Flight Sgt. Ralph Ernest Wells (1914-1942)

Ralph E. Wells born in Worcester on Aug. 11, 1914, the son of Susan J. Wells. It is not known whether his mother was wed at the time of his birth, but she later married Joshua Thomas Smallman and they all lived in Worcester.

Wells attended school in Worcester and later became an attendant at Gardner State Hospital, where he lived on the grounds there. Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on May 18, 1941, and received his basic training at Fingal, Ontario.

He was part of the air campaign in Europe when he was killed in action at the age of 28 over the Isle of Man in the United Kingdom on Sept. 21, 1942. At the time, he was returning from a mission to the continent and was to have been promoted to flight officer upon his return.

Wells was awarded the Good Conduct Ribbon, Special Commanding Officers Citation and, posthumously, the Purple Heart.

He was buried at St. Patrick’s Churchyard in Darby, England, in the Isle of Man. He is also listed on a Commonwealth war grave.

Comments and suggestions for Remembering Local World War II Heroes can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing to Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Road, Sandwich, MA 02563.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Remembering Local World War II Heroes: Rolf Virta, Ralph Wells