Please click here to view a student eulogy for Rodriguez at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia in Amelia Court House, Virginia, in 2025: https://youtu.be/vLiG1hyNB9E. 

Biography
Early Life
James Peter Rodriguez was born on April 16, 1932, in New York, New York. His father, Leoncio Rodriguez, immigrated from Ecuador. His mother, Frances A. Telegraph, grew up in Queens. Mr. Rodriguez’s parents were not married at the time of his birth and did not marry until January 1964. 

James lived with his father, Leoncio (Leo) in Manhattan, New York City. By 1942, both his maternal grandparents had passed away. Then, his mother was listed on his father’s World War II Draft Registration Card as living with them. On August 21, 1945, James’s parents had a second son, his brother Roger.

It is uncertain where James, known as Jim, attended elementary school, but he attended the High School of Commerce in Manhattan. In his senior yearbook statement he planned to join the military and that sports and collecting records were his hobbies. 

He graduated in 1949 at the age of 16. Because he was too young to enlist in the military, he worked as a butcher in New York City. He joined the U.S. Air Force on February 16, 1950, just a few months before the Korean War started.

Homefront
During the 1950s, many African Americans migrated to New York, seeking to escape the discrimination and oppression in the South. They hoped to obtain better opportunities and work. Migrants from Puerto Rico joined other immigrants like Leonicio Rodriguez, moving to New York City in hopes of escaping poverty. Both groups found that discrimination existed in New York City in the areas of education, housing, and employment. African Americans and Hispanic New Yorkers worked to try and educate the people. They talked about these unfair practices and put pressure on city officials to address them.

The New York Navy Yard, referred to locally as the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was built in the early 1800s along the Wallabout Bay. Since its creation, it has been responsible for building, outfitting, and repairing ships for every major U.S. conflict.

During World War II, New York Navy Yard received the nickname “Can-Do Shipyard.” This is because during this era it saw its greatest increase in production. Its major role was to repair American and Allied ships damaged in battle. Post-World War II and during the Korean War the Naval Shipyard was responsible for updating World War II carriers to allow larger aircraft to takeoff and land from their decks. 

In 1943, Allied nations made the decision to form an international peacekeeping organization. From April to June of 1945 representatives from 50 nations met in San Francisco, California to complete the formation of the United Nations. In December of 1945 the U.S. Congress voted to invite the United Nations to build its permanent headquarters. In February 1946, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to accept this invitation. 

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. offered to donate $8.5 million for a site in Manhattan on which the United Nations could build its headquarters. The United Nations General Assembly agreed and New York City provided additional gifts of property for the site. Construction began in 1949 and was completed in 1952. The United Nations Security Council met in New York City on June 27, 1950. 

The United Nations Security Council made Resolution 83 to help South Korea after they were invaded by North Korean forces. On July 7, 1950 they approved Security Council Resolution 84. This authorized the United States to establish a United Nations Command. This consisted of military forces from United Nations members leading it to push back North Korean forces from South Korea. 

As New York City’s population continued to grow in the 1950s, there was an increase in skyscrapers. These skyscrapers provided office space for expanding businesses seeking prime Manhattan addresses. 

New York City’s Broadway theaters took the nation by storm. They showcased new musicals that would become well-loved shows. New York City’s music scene would bring about many new forms of music. One of the new styles of jazz was known as bebop. With New York City’s expansion into television broadcasting it attracted many aspiring actors and writers pursuing their dreams as well.

Military Experience
James Rodriguez made the decision to join the military after graduating high school. On February 16, 1950, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He entered as an Airman Basic, and eventually earned the rank of Airman First Class in April 1952. Mr. Rodriguez was an aircraft control and warning radar repairman. 

During the Korean War, aircraft control and warning radar repairmen ensured that radar systems were working correctly. They conducted preventative maintenance on the airfield radars to detect where the planes were in the airspace. They would also perform emergency maintenance when the radar systems broke. Their work was essential in making sure the radar systems were able to monitor the air over the Korean peninsula. They could tell the difference between United States/United Nations (US/UN) aircraft and planes from the enemy. The radar systems would provide the US or UN planes with the locations of enemy aircraft. 

Rodriguez’s DD-214 indicated that he trained at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, Naval Air Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, the Bendix School of Electronics, and Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, Florida. His last assignment was with the 766th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron station at Caswell Air Force Station in Limestone, Maine. The DD-214 lists that he served just over one year of overseas service, but there are no medals listed to confirm where he served. 

Rodriguez was honorably discharged from the military on September 8, 1953. He received a Good Conduct Medal. Rodriguez was very proud of his service and he would often be seen wearing his Korean War Veteran hat.

Veteran Experience
James P. Rodriguez returned to Manhattan, where he met his wife, Anne A. Nieto. James and Anne married in 1955.

They had three sons: James Jr., Donald, and Robert. James and Anne later became grandparents to Kara, Ethan, Addie, Emily, and Donald, Jr. The Rodriguez family eventually moved to Brick, New Jersey. This was near where his father lived, possibly to help care for his father when he became ill. 

Rodriguez worked for Allied Signal Corporation (Bendix), possibly at the Teterboro, New Jersey plant. This plant manufactured flight control systems for military aircraft. Mr. Rodriguez had received training through Bendix while in the Air Force. He would likely have used the skills he acquired while working for them.

In 1989 after his father died, Rodriguez and his family moved to Midlothian, Virginia. Mr. Rodriguez began working at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), now known as Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Mr. Rodriguez eventually retired from this job.

Soon after arriving in Midlothian, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez became parishioners at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. Mr. Rodriguez was very active in the church. He became a member of the St. Edward the Confessor Knights of Columbus Council 654. As part of this organization, he became a Fourth Degree Knight and rose up the ranks to become a Faithful Navigator. This was the commander of the Fourth Degree Knights. 

As a Fourth Degree Knight, he served as an honor guard at the funerals of fellow Knights and members of the Ladies Auxiliary. He also visited Veterans at McGuire Veterans Hospital. He served at special church functions and special events in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.

As a member of the Knights of Columbus, Mr. Rodriguez lived a life of service. He was an honorable person who helped people in need. He organized fundraising events such as the Lenten Fish Fries and bingo nights. These events raised money for charitable organizations including March of Dimes and Outreach in Love. He supported the Right to Life movement. He helped raise money for an ultrasound machine that the council donated to a clinic in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

Commemoration
After his wife, Anne, died from cancer in 2008, Rodriguez fell ill with cancer himself. This led to many hospital visits. After one of the hospital visits, he was told he could not go home alone. One of the Knights and his wife took care of him. He eventually moved to an assisted living home. There, other Knights came and visited him and reminisced about the past. 

He died on June 4, 2016, when he was 84 years old. His funeral took place on June 9, 2016 at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. He was buried at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia Court House.

Though Mr. Rodriguez left this life on earth, he left a lasting legacy. He built a life serving for his country and his community and caring for all those he encountered. Those who knew him spoke of his quiet, kind, and loving spirit. He did for others without asking for anything in return. He set an example as an instrument of positive change and truly lived a life of service.


Bibliography
Primary Sources
Air Force Good Conduct Medal. Photograph. Air Force Personnel Center. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.afpc.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2001680730/.

Conner, Lois. "United Nations Headquarters." Photograph. United Nations. 1985. https://media.un.org/photo/en/asset/oun7/oun7474776. 

Donald Mark Rodriguez. U.S. Index to Public Records. 1994-2019. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com.

Frances Terleph and Leonci Rodriguez Marriage Record. New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Index 1901-2016. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

High School of Commerce 1949 Yearbook. New York, New York. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-2016. Digital Image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

James P. Rodriguez, Sr. and Anne Nieto Rodriguez Marriage Record. New York, New York, Marriage License Indexes, 1917-2018. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

James Peter Rodriguez. DD-214. Department of the Air Force. Virginia Department of Veteran Services.

James Peter Rodriguez, Jr. US Index to Public Records. 1994-2019. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com.

James Peter Rodriguez, Sr. U.S. Index to Public Records. 1994-2019. https://www.ancestryclassroom.com.

Leonico Rodriguez. New York, U.S. Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City 1792-1989. Digital Image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

Leoncio R. Rodriguez. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947. Digital Images. https://ancestryclassroom.com. 

Mulvihill Family Records. 1992-2015. Courtesy of Heather Mulvihill.

Mulvihill, Heather. Telephone interview. December 13, 2024.

Mulvihill, William. Telephone interview. December 13, 2024.

Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York. Photograph. 1918. Naval History and Heritage Command (NH 117794). https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-117000/NH-117794.html.

New York. New York City. 1920 U.S. Federal Census. Digital Image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

New York. New York City. 1925 U.S. State Census. Digital Image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

New York. New York City. 1940 U.S. Federal Census. Digital Image. https://ancestryclassroom.com.

"Rodriguez, James P." Obituary. The Richmond Times-Dispatch [Richmond, VA], June 7, 2016.

St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Funeral, James 'Jim' Rodriguez. North Chesterfield, VA: St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, 2016.

Superfortress radar observer with a pistol strapped to his side in case of bail out over enemy territory. 

National Museum of the United States Air Force (100614-F-1234S-009). https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Photos/igphoto/2000352265/.  

United Nations Headquarters in New York. Photograph. January 1, 1960. United Nations (UN7661397). https://media.un.org/photo/en/asset/oun7/oun7661397.

UN Security Council. Resolution 84 (1950) / [adopted by the Security Council at its 476th meeting], of 7 July 1950. 1950. United Nations Digital Library. digitallibrary.un.org/record/112027?ln=en&v=pdf. 

UN Security Council. Security Council official records, 5th year : 473rd meeting 25 June 1950, New York. 1950. United Nations Digital Library. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/632558?ln=en&v=pdf. 

U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Home-State-of-Record: New York. National Archives and Records Administration. www.archives.gov/files/research/military/korean-war/casualty-lists/ny-alpha.pdf.

Secondary Sources

“1950-1955 NYC: Unveiling a New Era of Cultural Brilliance and Architectural Genius.” History 101 NYC. Last modified 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.history101.nyc/nyc-history-from-1950-to-1955.

Ades, Lisa, and Ric Burns. "Migration into New York City in the 1950s” New York: A Documentary Film. PBS LearningMedia, 2023. https://vpm.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/migration-into-nyc-1950s-video/new-york-documentary-film/.

“AFSC. Directory: Air Force Job Specialty Codes.” Preserving Our History. Last modified June 11, 2024. Accessed December 18, 2024. http://www.preservingourhistory.com.

“Allied Signal.” Britannica School. https://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/AlliedSignal/5813.

"Anne A. Rodriguez." Find a Grave. Last modified April 11, 2019. Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206376115/anne-a-rodriguez.

“Bendix Aviation Corporation.” Science Museum Group. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap12853/bendix-aviation-corporation.

Butler, Andrew. "Who Are the Fourth Degree Knights?" Knights of Columbus. Last modified November 8, 2019. Accessed November 20, 2024. https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/articles/who-are-the-4th-degree-knights.html.

“Civil Rights: New York and Civil Rights 1945-1964.” Museum of the City of New York. Last modified 2024. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.mcny.org/exhibition/civil-rights.

“Former Bendix Plant Site.” The Center for Land Use Interpretation. Last modified 2024. Accessed December 6, 2024. https://clui.org/projects/meadowlands/points-interest-meadowlands/former-bendix-plant-site. 

“Headquarters Operating Instruction 33-3.” Department of the Air Force. August 23, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/saf_ds/publication/hoi33-3/hoi33-3.pdf.

“History of the Korean War.” United Nations Command. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.unc.mil/History/1950-1953-Korean-War-Active-Conflict/. 

"James P. Rodriguez, Sr." Find a Grave. Last modified April 11, 2019.  Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198260052/james_p-rodriguez.

"James P. Rodriguez, Sr." Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 22, 2025. http://vlm.cem.va.gov/JAMESPRODRIGUEZSR/90d1d5. 

“The Korean War: Barbarism Unleashed.” Peace History. Last modified March 16, 2023. Accessed November 10, 2024. https://peacehistory-usfp.org/korean-war/.

Lankevich, George. "New York City." Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-City. 

Mortensen, Kelly. Telephone interview. January 3, 2025.

Neiswander, David. Telephone interview. January 7, 2025.

“New York (Brooklyn) Navy Yard.” Naval History and Heritage Command.  Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/historic-bases/ny-brooklyn-navy-yard.html.

St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. Accessed February 8, 2025. https://stedchurch.com/. 

“UN headquarters: A Workshop for Peace.” United Nations. Accessed October 24, 2024. https://www.un.org/en/exhibits/un-headquarters-workshop-peace.

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“US Military Rank Insignia.” U.S. Department of Defense. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.defense.gov/resources/insignia/.

Waller ASAFR, Captain James. Telephone interview. January 14, 2025.

This profile was researched by David Boch, Moli Chen, Tanner Eam, Juliette Glover, Landon Jones, Carter Keeven, Eliza Lillie, Katherine Long, Presley McMunn, Audrey Monahan, Claire Parker, Tatum, Dakota Wilson, mentored by Swift Creek Middle School teacher Ms. Pamela Rockenbach Plahs, as part of a Veterans Legacy Grant Program led by National History Day in the 2024/2025 academic year.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.


The 1940 manuscript census shows James Rodriguez living with his father, Leo Rodriguez. National Archives and Records Administration.

The Rodriguez family in the 1940 manuscript census.

James Rodriguez’s high school graduation photo, Commerce High School, 1949.

A smiling young man wearing a coat and tie.

James P. Rodriguez's DD-214 form, September 8, 1953. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. Virginia Department of Veteran Services.

James Rodriguez received a Good Conduct Medal for his service in the United States Air Force, 1953. U.S. Air Force.

A Good Conduct Medal on a red, white, and blue ribbon.

St. Edward the Confessor Catholic, James Rodriguez’s church. Courtesy of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church.

A large church building with a sloped roof.

James Rodriguez attended this gathering of the Knights of Columbus at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. when Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States. Mr. Rodriguez wore purple regalia, April 2008. Courtesy of Heather Mulvihill.

A large Catholic Church packed with people wearing the regalia of the Knights of Columbus.

JAMES P RODRIGUEZ SR

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