KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Born in 1890 in Independence, Adolphus Roffe competed in the equestrian event at age 37 during the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.
Roffe, who attended the University of Missouri, was a cavalry and infantry officer in the U.S. Army.
Riding a horse named Fairfax, Roffe finished 33rd in the individual event and the U.S. team finished ninth overall.
During World War II, Roffe commanded the 2nd Infantry Regiment from July 10, 1944, to April 28, 1945.
He led the regiment after they landed in Normandy during Operation Cobra.
His son, Capt. Adolphus Roffe Jr., later served as a U.S. Army Field Communications Chief during the Korean War.
Adolphus Jr. was captured and died as a prisoner of war on Jan. 7, 1951. His remains have yet to be accounted for, so he is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
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The Kansas City region has a deep, rich history with respect to the Olympic Games. As the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approach with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for July 23, we will profile an athlete with ties to Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas each day.
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