(RED BANK, NJ) -- Basie Center Cinemas presents a screening of Rohna Classified by Jack Ballo on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 7:00pm. The film tells the story of what remains the largest loss of life at sea in the history of any U.S. war - a story that was classified and forgotten... until now.
Over one thousand Gold Star families were stonewalled and most of them went to their own graves never knowing what happened; their boys just never came home. Seventy-nine of the soldiers killed in the secret attack were from NJ.
The film is not only an important part of American history, but it tells the untold story of a military cover-up that left over 1000 casualty families in the dark including 79 Gold Star families from New Jersey.
Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with the filmmakers along with descendants of those aboard the HMT Rohna.
Tickets are $12.50 ($10 for seniors/children/veterans) and are available for purchase online. Basie Center Cinemas is located at 36 White Street in Red Bank, New Jersey.
“All of these men, who went through this, honored their country’s request not to speak of this terrible tragedy. But after the war was over, why didn't their country honor them by bringing this story out?” - Darlene Berube (Survivor’s wife)
The filmmakers are still searching for the families of Rohna casualties and survivors. If you are the next-of-kin of a Rohna casualty or survivor, please help them locate the families of all the Rohna heroes. Their research team is attempting to gather information about every person who was on the Rohna the day of the attack including survivors, Red Cross and crew. Click here to visit their Rohna Casualty page.
Jack Ballo (Producer/Director/Writer). Jack launched Ultravision Films in 2007 after working in video production for over 20 years. He has produced several award-winning humanitarian films and documentaries. His first film, Wrong Turn (2008), was followed by Elio (2010) and then Before You Leave (2012). Ballo co-wrote the screenplay The Doo Dah Man (2015) Flatiron Pictures, based on his own life experience. He produced the critically acclaimed Tent City documentary Destiny’s Bridge (2016). His last film, Brothers (2018) was screened in eight different countries, winning film festival awards around the world. His wife, Barbara is the great niece of Joseph Pisinski, one of the soldiers killed in the Rohna attack. Ballo found letters in their attic that Sgt. Pisinski wrote home to his mother that led him to learning about the Rohna.
Michael Walsh (Producer / Story Consultant). Michael is a video producer with over 35 years of experience in producing programs that have won Aegis, Telly, Golden Slate and IFCA awards. He became involved with the Rohna story when his step-father took him to a Rohna Reunion in 2001. His interest in the story led him to writing two books, Rohna Memories I and Rohna Memories II, about the sinking of the HMT Rohna. Walsh has interviewed and filmed over 60 survivors, rescuers, experts and relatives of serviceman who were aboard the Rohna on the day of the attack. He's a historian; researching original materials, letters and the formerly classified Rohna documents preserved at the National Archives. Walsh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Science degree from Rhode Island College.
Hayley Bricker (Producer). Hayley is a recent Rowan University graduate with a BA in Radio, Television and Film with a concentration in Production as well as Film Studies. She has a minor in Anthropology and a Certificate of Undergraduate Studies in Italian. She has worked freelance for independent filmmakers in the Philadelphia area as a Production Assistant, Cinematographer, Director of Photography and 1st Assistant Director. Her Great Uncle, Harold Bricker, was a member of the 853rd Engineer Battalion aboard the Rohna, and was a casualty of the attack. Hayley is very excited to begin her career post college here with Rohna Classified!
Cynthi Stefenoni (Consulting Producer). Cynthi has been an assistant director member of the Directors Guild of America since 1987. Her credits include numerous television shows (e.g. Sisters, Lois and Clark, JAG, Boston Legal, Zooey 101), TV movies (including, PeeWee’s Playhouse Christmas Special (1988), Cagney and Lacy (1991) Return to Mayberry (1997) and films (e.g. Dear God (1998), Waking Madison (2007), Torn (2008), The Fixer/ Burn Country (2015)). In addition, she has taught at the San Francisco Digital Film School as well as lectured at the American Film Institute. She has been a consulting producer on various films and has produced the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival--named one of Movie Maker Magazines 25 coolest film festivals--since 2012. She currently serves on the Board of The Rohna Survivors Memorial Association where she has been the assistant producer of the TRSMA reunions since 2012. She is the daughter of Rohna survivor Alfred Stefenoni.
Ann Good (Research). Born in England to a former RAF bomber pilot and a Women's Auxiliary Air Force flight mechanic, Ann Good was raised in Canada. Following a career in the field of international development, Ann learned about Rohna Classified as the result of a genealogy course assignment; her mother's older brother, Private Henry William Bly of the Royal Medical Army Corps, was lost in the Rohna tragedy but the family knew very little about the incident. Since becoming involved in the project, she has uncovered new information to tell the British perspective of the story. Working from her retirement post in Ottawa, Ontario, Ann has been collaborating with a British military historian and a Canadian genealogist, based in London, England, who have access to the British National Archives in person and have helped identify key sources of WWII documentation relevant to the Rohna.
