Edward A. Duff – Class of 1903
Edward A. Duff hailed from St. Francis Xavier parish and graduated from Roman in 1903.
After graduating from Roman, he was ordained a priest and later served in Europe as a Naval Chaplain during World War I aboard the USS Nevada. He was also aboard the U.S.S. Olympia during its famous voyage from France to the United States in 1921 to deliver the body of the Unknown Soldier. Duff was also decorated in 1920 by the king of Italy with the Chevalier of the Crown of Italy for his service aboard the Italian battleship Puglia in the Adriatic, and was promoted to captain in 1925. In 1937 he was named Chief of the Navy Chaplain Corps, the first Catholic to hold that position. His lectures on the Unknown Soldier were estimated to have been heard by over 300,000 people. Unfortunately, a heart ailment forced his early retirement and he died in Philadelphia at the age of 58 in 1943.
John R. Corkery – Class of 1936
John R. Corkery hailed from St. Anne’s parish and following graduation from Roman in 1936, he served in the U.S. Army during World War 2.
During the Battle of Rapido River in 1944, Corkery courageously battled under furious artillery, mortar, and machine gun fire for more than 10 hours, to establish position so he could maintain constant communications with his battalion. Over 1,300 U.S. soldiers would lose their lives in the battle with more than 600 captured. Corkery was later wounded in Italy. For his actions in battle he was awarded 2 Bronze Stars, an Oak Leaf Cluster, and a Purple Heart.
Following the war, Corkery would go on to raise a family of 11 children with a highly successful career with the VA. He also established himself as a great CYO basketball coach with St. Anne Parish in Port Richmond, and was founder of what became the Port Richmond Boys Club by starting their football program. He died at the young age of 52, and is beloved by a generation of boys in the neighborhood who to this day speak with love and reverence for him.
Bernard Donahue – Class of 1941
Bernard Donahue grew up on Park Avenue in North Philadelphia, hailing from St. Malachy parish. He graduated from Roman in 1941.
After high school, Bernard worked at John Wanamaker’s before enlisting in the Army as an Aviation Cadet. Ultimately, he earned his wings as a B-17 pilot and flew 26 combat missions over Germany and Austria. Among other honors, then 1st Lieutenant Donahue was awarded the Distinguish Flying Cross for returning his crippled bomber from a raid over Berlin.
In 1944, he married Rosemary Kirwan, a Hallahan graduate. He returned to Rosemary, Philadelphia and Wanamaker’s after the war. Bernard and Rosemary had 7 children, including an Air Force Colonel and a Navy Chief Petty Officer. Bernard later became vice president of a men’s’ clothing retailer here in Philadelphia. He died at age 54 from complications from diabetes. He was buried with full military honors in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon.
Francis J. E. Ampthor – Class of 1942
Francis Ampthor hailed from St. Mary of the Assumption parish in Manayunk and while at Roman he was a member of 1942 city championship crew team, as well as the school band and Cahillite staff. He attended St. Joseph’s College for one year, then enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War 2.
He served on the battleship U.S.S. Missouri in the Gunnery Department, witnessing the surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. He received the Victory Medal, the American Theater Ribbon and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 2 Stars. After the war, he was part of the U.S.S. Missouri’s goodwill tour of the Mediterranean Sea region.
Following the war Ampthor was a chemical engineer at Rohm & Haas for nearly 44 years, helping farmers to formulate herbicides and pesticides, and later helping to develop fiberglass panels for Ford and Chevrolet cars. For many years, he taught Organic Chemistry Lab at night at St. Joseph’s University, was active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and in retirement drove the Roxborough Hospital patient shuttle and volunteered at St. Bridget’s Church in East Falls. He died in 1993.
Charles Fuller – Class of 1956
Charles Fuller hailed from North Philadelphia and graduated from Roman in 1956. Following Roman, he then studied for two years at Villanova University.
Fuller joined the U.S. Army in 1959 and served for 3 years overseas in Japan and South Korea.
He later graduated from LaSalle University and was a co-founder of the Afro-American Arts Theater in Philadelphia. Fuller became a noted playwright and in 1982 he won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for “A Soldier’s Play” that centered on the murder of a Black Army sergeant and the search for the culprit. The play would later make it to Broadway and win two Tony Awards. The movie version received three Oscar nominations. He was a member of the Writers Guild of America and wrote numerous short fiction and screenplays, as well as worked as a movie producer.
In 2015, Fuller was named one of Roman Catholic High School’s 125 Men of Distinction. He died on October 3, 2022.
Al Zimmerman – Class of 1965
Al Zimmerman graduated from Roman in 1965, hailing from St. Bridget’s parish. Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Army in 1966 and was selected to attend Officer Candidate School.
During the Vietnam War, Zimmerman served as a Helicopter Pilot, Platoon Leader, and Operations Officer with the 1st Air Cavalry Division. In 1969, during an operation to rescue wounded U.S. soldiers, Zimmerman’s Cobra helicopter was hit by enemy fire and forced down. He was later picked up by another helicopter crew, where Zimmerman manned a gun and placed suppressive fire on the enemy and called in air strikes against the enemy positions. The action resulted in the decimation of a large enemy unit, and Zimmerman was awarded the Silver Star for his actions. His other awards include: four awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and 27 Air Medals. Zimmerman is believed to be one of the most decorated alumni in Roman’s history and he was recently inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Edward Seeburger – Class of 1940
Edward Seeburger was born in Philadelphia and was a member of Our Lady of Mercy parish. He graduated from Roman in 1940. Following graduation, he immediately enlisted in the Marines and fought in the Pacific during World War II.
Seeburger also served as a First Lieutenant in the 1st Marine Division during the Korean War. During the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, in temperatures that plummeted to minus 20 degrees, Seeburger was leading the remains of his Unit as they desperately fought their way south. Of the 220 Marines originally in his Company, only about 20 were still fit to fight. Out of seven officers, only Seeburger remained. His unit was ambushed by the enemy and, although bleeding profusely from a bullet wound in his leg, Seeburger was able to direct his tank gunners as to where to fire at the enemy positions which wiped out the enemy and enabled his convoy to escape. For his selfless act of courage during the battle, Seeburger was awarded the prestigious Navy Cross, just one grade below the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Following the war, Seeburger retired from the Marines and returned to Philadelphia, where he and his wife, Helen, raised a daughter, Dolores. Seeburger worked as a park police officer and then as an engraver for 32 years at Becks Engraving Co. He died in 2007 at the age of 85.