'Rohna Classified': Documentary free screening honors sailors of deadliest naval attack
After five years of their own blood, sweat and tears, producers Jack Ballo, who is also the director, and Michael Walsh will air the story of the HMT Rohna − the largest loss at sea in the history of any United States war − with a free virtual screening of the World War II documentary beginning this Memorial Day weekend.
Classified for 50 years, the sinking of the HMT Rohna remains one of the most unheard-of events of WWII, yet it proved to be one of the most disastrous. On Nov. 26, 1943, the U.S. experienced its greatest loss of life at sea by enemy action – 1,105 soldiers killed. But no one knew of the loss until about half a century later.
The film, entitled "Rohna Classified," is set to stream online starting Friday and run through June 1. On May 29, three survivors of the deadly Rohna attack, including 101-year-old Herman Vinnet formerly of New Jersey, will meet online for a live panel discussion. Viewers can register and participate in the discussion beginning at 7 p.m. There is no charge to watch the film or panel discussion.
The 60-minute documentary uncovers WWII's best kept secret, said Ballo, who lives in South River and first uncovered a familial connection to the Rohna in 2018. About six years ago, Ballo stumbled upon a box of 23 yellowed handwritten letters from Sgt. Joseph Pisinki, Ballos' wife's great-uncle.
Pisinski died in the attack on the HMT Rohna. He was 23 years old.
It was his second official day of war.
The goal is that the documentary reaches the families of the soldiers killed in the sinking of the HMT Rohna, Ballo said.
On that fateful day, 2,000 U.S. soldiers board a transport ship with lifeboats that were rusted so badly that they would never be launched. The following day, the ship is sunk by a radio-guided missile, killing 1,015 U.S. soldiers.
"It's time to tell the truth,” said Ballo.
The film seeks to honor the forgotten soldiers while uncovering the story behind the sinking. Ballo hopes the documentary will finally give the classified Rohna attack its rightful place in U.S. history while providing closure for the Gold Star families still searching for answers.
The film uncovers classified documents revealing that neglect and oversight contributed to the large number of casualties in the secret disaster, Ballo said.
"The government deflected responsibility by declaring the disaster classified and ordering all survivors to remain silent," he said. "The casualty families were stonewalled and most of them went to their own graves without ever knowing what happened."
Families of casualties throughout the country are still trying to piece together how their loved ones died in what some believe was a cover-up by the government, Ballo said.
As a component of the movie's outreach initiative, the filmmakers are hoping to locate families of soldiers who came from 47 different states throughout the country. A list of Rohna casualties, organized by state and hometown, can be accessed on the movie website.
Details can be found on the movie website www.RohnaClassified.com. For more information and/or to register for the discussion session, go to watch.showandtell.film/preview/rohna-memorial-day.
email: cmakin@gannettnj.com
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: 'Rohna Classified' screening honors sailors of deadliest naval attack
