Roscoe "Roc" Trout Obituary (1926

Roscoe "Roc" L. Trout, Captain, USN (Ret.), a 40+ year resident of the Monterey Peninsula, passed away September 2nd 2017, at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula with his daughter Teresa Heyerdahl at his bedside. Roc was born in Douds, Iowa, January 1926, to Ray and Nellie Trout, the eldest of four children, Miriam (Mimi), Edna, and Clarence. As a young boy during the depression, Roc was in charge of the water wagon and large team of Iowa 4-speed mules supplying his father's steam engine driven combines, threshing machines, and saw mills. He and his brother also helped gleaning the wheat fields after the threshing. He had a life-long passion for aviation, and while growing up commanded his "first squadron" - a significant number of hand-built and designed model aircraft, gliders, and gas powered aircraft. Roc graduated from Douds-Leando High School as the Valedictorian of his class and immediately enlisted in the Navy V5 program at Saint Louis, Missouri in June 1943. He was accepted to the University of North Carolina as an Apprentice Seaman and V-12a Student. Primary Flight Training was completed at Naval Air Station, Norman, Oklahoma, October 1945 and he earned his Navy wings on 9 July 1946. Two of Roc's proudest Navy career memories: While stationed at Barbers Point N.A.S Oahu, Hawaii, Roc volunteered to fly a twin engine Beechcraft loaded with critical supplies, delivering them to the quarantined Leper Colony on Molokai. In 1948, during a WestPac cruise (which ended up going around the world) On the U.S.S. Tarawa (CV-40) Roc and three fellow officers including his lifelong friend Rear Admiral Don Shelton, became the first US Navy officers after WWII to land their aircraft in Jidda, Saudi Arabia and put on an airshow for the local prince. Two of Roc's fondest memories were: His first meeting with his future wife, Gloria Galland, in 1949 while stationed at Barbers Point N.A.S Oahu Hawaii. And adopting "Irving the Poi dog", (a stray from the cane fields that became the BOQ mascot), and taking him along with him when flying his assigned aircraft on training missions. Irving would sleep on the liferaft behind the pilot seat. Roc graduated from Geor ge Washington University in 1972, and was then assigned to AFNORTH Headquarters Oslo Norway as the Senior Staff Officer to US Naval Deputy. While In Norway, Roc purchased and managed to get 30 frozen turkeys brought quietly into Norway so that US military personnel could have a genuine Thanksgiving Dinner. Roc retired from active duty on 31 August 1975. During his career spanning the Korean and Vietnam war eras, He logged more than 3,700 flight hours and made 418 carrier landings. His flight hours logged in over 30 different types of Navy aircraft including the Stearman Bi-Plane, Hellcats, Phantom F4-H and F4-Bs. After retirement from the Navy, Roc was employed as a Senior Safety Engineer at Syscon Corporation and Boeing - NASA/Ames Research Center, Moffett Field. In 2007, at the age of 81, along with his brother and sister Mimi, he made a tandem parachute jump from 10,000 feet. He called it "Great Sport". Roc was Preceded in death by his parents, (ex)wife Gloria Galland, his life companion of 30 plus years, Patricia Compton, and his two sisters Edna Helgeland, and Miriam Stacy. Roc leaves behind his brother Clarence and Clarence's wife Mary Ellen, daughter Teresa Heyerdahl, son Wayne and Wayne's wife Gratia, granddaughter Ellen Heyerdahl and her husband Kaare Sverdrup and their children Eva and Finn, grandson Aksel and Aksel's wife Heidi and their children Thea and Jonas, and Patricia Compton's two sons Karl Compton and his spouse John Abrams and David Compton. He will be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, a remarkable aviator, good friend, and master story teller. He was also known for his generosity, his great sense of humor, the twinkle in his eye, and the love of a good martini or two. He will be fondly remembered. Memberships: The American Legion - Iowa Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) - Iowa Masonic Lodge - Iowa International Square and Compass Club (Masonic) - Norway EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Sons of Norway Monterey Airport Aviation Advisory Board (past) Carmel Valley Village Airport Board (past) Stillwater Club D.O.M.I.N.O.S Quiet Birdmen Golden Eagles TailHook Association A memorial service with military rites will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 9, 2019 at the Mount Moriah Cemetery, Douds, Iowa. Donations in his honor can be made to the E.A.A. Young Eagles program Salinas California.