On January 25, 1944, the LST-422 departed Naples, Italy, with Roger aboard. The ship was filled almost to capacity with trucks, ambulances, and other vehicles, along with multiple 50-gallon steel gasoline barrels. Additionally, a few vehicles had the extremely sensitive 4.2-inch white phosphorous mortar shells. Both this and the gasoline would prove deadly for the ship. Early in the morning of January 26, the ship arrived off the coast of Anzio, Italy, but the excitement was short-lived; a large storm was forming. Fast winds were blowing, which caused the formation of waves up to 30 feet high. Thus, the ship lost much of its steering, and it was blown into a known minefield. At approximately 5:20 a.m. that morning, the ship struck a mine, instantly exploding. This combined with the large gasoline tanks and volatile white phosphorous shells to destroy a significant portion of the ship, creating 20-foot flames. The bottom and starboard sides of the vessel were largely affected, and the entire fuel supply of the ship caught on fire. The first part of the ship to flood was the tank deck, where the 83rd Chemical Battalion was peacefully sleeping. While not certain, it is likely that Roger was on this deck, which meant that he probably drowned inside of the ship. Even if he managed to get out, though, the low temperatures of the water, due to it being January, would have spelled doom for him relatively quickly.
Burial
Due to the nature of Roger's death, he never got a proper grave; however, he has a memorial in Grubb Hill Cemetery in Watson, Mississippi, where his mother is also buried (or potentially just memorialized). Additionally, he was given an official burial at sea on February 16, 1944, after his body was found by a ship commanded by Captain Richard Frailey. Roger was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart on May 6, 1944.