Hometown Heroes - Jerry Roessler
Retired sheriff’s deputy
Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - He may not have seen any battle action, but Sgt. Jerry Roessler saw his share of history serving in the U.S. Army overseas.
I am what is known as a cold war veteran. That took place from World War 2 until 1991. That’s when they officially declared the Cold War to be over with. That’s after the Iron Curtain came down.
Roessler had two tours of duty, including one with the UN Security Force in Korea.
“There were a lot of incidents along the borders, especially in Korea. We stood the line between at that the enemies of our democracy and we held the line while other people were sitting at home enjoying life.”
He also got to witness the Cold War ending when the wall went down between East and West Germany...in a small town known as Little Berlin.
“And they had a wall just like Berlin. We were there standing security on it when they broke a hole in the wall and they started coming across. They were hugging us and giving us flowers. It was just a unique thing to be a part of.”
Roessler retired from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office in April 2023, after 38 years of law enforcement work. He stays active with the funeral escort division .
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