 Rosendahl akaberekerwa muChicago, Illinois, kunyange zvazvo mhuri yake yakazotamira kuKansas neTexas uye, muna 1910, akagadzwa kuNaval Academy kubva kuhurumende yekupedzisira uye akazotumirwa muchikamu cheEnsign munaJune 1914, mushure mekupedza kudzidza kubva kuChikoro, akarayirwa kuti apinde muchikepe chehondo cheMexico panguva yeVeracruz dambudziko. Mushure mokunge West Virginia isingachashandiswi akashanda kwenguva pfupi pachikepe chehondo uye muchengeti anodzivirirwa, asati azviratidza nokuda kwebasa ari muchengeti anodzivirirwa musi waMay 14, 1915. Musi waSeptember 15, 1916 akadzokera kuWest Virginia yakadzorerwa, iyo yakazotumidzwa kuti Huntington. Musi waJune 19, 1917 akagamuchira kukwidziridzwa kune lieutenant j.g, uye kune lieutenant yakazara musi waAugust 31, 1918, achinge ashanda ari mu Huntington achifambisa mauto nemauto kuEurope munguva yeHondo Yenyika I. 