US Marine Private Rodney (NMN) Cropper was born in Bagdad, Florida on January 9, 1922, the son of William Samuel Cropper (1884-1953) and Ila Maybelle Burkett (1889-1943). As late as 1930 his father was a laborer at the Bagdad Lumber Mill while he and his family rented a small house nearby for $10.00 per month. By 1940, the family had moved to Pensacola where William had obtained a job as a fireman at a lumber mill. He would later move his family into a larger house at 410 West Romana Street for the upgraded price of $12.00 per month. Another family move placed them in a house at 1002 West Intendencia Street while his father was working as a watchman for the Weis-Fricker Mahogany Company. At the same time, Rodney was working at the Newport Industrial Plant as a laborer on "O" Street, today known as Pace Blvd.
When the war broke out, Rodney enlisted in the US Marines on October 16, 1943, just seven weeks after his mother passed away on August 25th. After his basic training, he was assigned to Company "F" of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment with the 2nd Marine Division. Before joining his regiment, his comrades had fought in the bloody battle of Tarawa on November 21, 1943, where the division incurred over 1,000 killed in just three days along with 2,000 wounded. While recuperating, from this horror, the 2nd division began receiving fresh reinforcements from the states, one of which was Rodney Cropper from Bagdad, Florida.
Then came the Marianna Island campaign in June 1944. Three of the islands were of upmost importance to winning the war in the South Pacific. These were Tinian, Saipan, and Guam all of which were located within bombing range of the Japanese homelands. The U.S. needed them badly but Japan could not afford to lose them therefore it was a do or die situation. The task was given to the 2nd & 4th Marine Divisions and the Army's 27th Infantry Division. On June 15, 1944, Cropper and his battalion stormed ashore on Saipan's Red Beach under the heaviest fire in regimental history. The landing craft, comprised of amphibian tanks, made it to the beach in 27 minutes. They began firing their heavy weapons as they approached the beach, while the tracked vehicles followed close behind in waves stuffed full of troops. However, the Japanese had zeroed in on the lagoon and began firing salvo after salvo of mortar and artillery rounds into the incoming Marines. Even those that made it ashore were met with a crossfire of machine guns and more artillery. The fighting was desperate and the outcome in doubt. Rodney was killed in action on the first day of the horrendous battle. Back home his parents received the typical telegram from the War Department informing them of their loss and the fact that he would be buried in a military cemetery on the island. They were told they could have him disinterred and brought home after the war if they wished at no personal expense.
After the war, his family chose to have his body returned to Santa Rosa County in December 1948 and buried with full military honors in the Black Hammock Cemetery where he rests today among many of his family.
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