2Nd Infantry Division News

The Department of the Navy will christen USNS Soderman (T-AKR 317), its newest RoRo cargo ship, to honor a U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient on April 26, 2002 during a 8:40 p.m. ceremony at National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO), San Diego, Calif. The ship will be named to honor Army Pfc. William A. Soderman, (1912-1980), a native of West Haven, Conn. Pfc. Soderman was assigned to Company K, 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division during World War II. On Dec. 17, 1944, Pfc. Soderman defended a key road junction near Rocherath, Belgium. Under severe artillery barrage, mortar and machine gun fire, he remained at his post and successfully held off German counter offenses by disabling three enemy tanks with a bazooka at point blank range before being wounded.