Herr General Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 I adopted two American wwII graves on the Dutch Margraten war cemetry. I plan on visiting these graves next week and to lay flowers.I would like to find more info about these two persons. This is what I know:John E. B. L. Tompkins Rank Technician Fifth Class, U.S. ArmyService number # 33597026Regiment 784th Tank Battalion Entered the Service from PennsylvaniaCounty Place of enlistment PhiladelphiaDate of enlistment 30-03-1943Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or otheremergency, plus six months, subject to thediscretion of the President or otherwise according to law Year of Birth 1923 Nativity VirginiaRace and Citizenship Negro citizenEducation Grammar schoolCivilian occupation Tractor ? truck driverMarital status Single, with dependents Died 03-03-1945Buried at Plot C Row 3 Grave 21Netherlands American CemeteryMargraten, NetherlandsAwards Purple HeartCarl F. Danajovits Rank Private First Class, U.S. ArmyService number # 42134462Regiment 334th Infantry Regiment Division 84th Infantry Division Entered the Service from 23 New YorkCounty BronxPlace of enlistment CP Upton YaphankDate of enlistment 16-05-1944Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or otheremergency, plus six months, subject to thediscretion of the President or otherwise according to law Year of Birth 1924 Nativity New YorkRace and Citizenship White citizenEducation 2 years of high school Civilian occupation Automobile ServicemanMarital status Single, without dependents Died 26-02-1945Buried at Plot C Row 15 Grave 23Netherlands American CemeteryMargraten, Netherlands Awards Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 Commendable!Hardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David S Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 (edited) It's a wonderful thing you've done !!Since you have the info, look herehttp://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-...ce-records.html Edited May 19, 2007 by David S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Would the first guy have been a member of the "redball express"? He was a black driver and somewhere I read something about a "redball express" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFloyd Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Tec Tompkins would have been a combat soldier. The 784th was one of a handful of African-American armored units that saw serious action in the latter stages of the war in Europe. With experience as a driver before the war, he would almost certainly have been a prime candidate for tanks.A book has been published titled "The 784th Tank Battalion in World War II History of an African American Armored Unit in Europe", by Joe Wilson, 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Here's a good link that tells what the 784th were doing March 3, 1945. Impressive.http://www.784th.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Would the first guy have been a member of the "redball express"? He was a black driver and somewhere I read something about a "redball express" ?That was my thought as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulsterman Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 very good of you! Well done !Bravo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunyadi Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 (edited) Thank you - Thank you - Thank you! For an American who has all of his familiy members both close and extended to have served in WW1, WW2, Vietnam, etc... I cant tell you how much your gesture means. No one asked you to, and no one told you to - yet remembeing those who may have been forgotten over the passage of time - Thanks.When you can - could you please post some photos Edited May 20, 2007 by hunyadi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 20, 2007 Author Share Posted May 20, 2007 Thanks Guys. It is just a small thing to do in return for the sacrifices these guys and there families made! Please don't forget that I am not the only one. Almost all of the more then 8000 graves have been adopted by Dutch persons. Just this week 400 new persons adopted a grave!I just hope that I am able to find more info about these two persons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernard Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 That's a nice gesture. I also adopted a grave at Henri-Chapelle cemetery few months ago. It is the grave of a WWII US B17 gunner killed on december 25 1944... It is the less we can do for our american friends ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Again, thank YOU. My great uncle Karl is among the millions from the FIRST World War with "no known grave" in France.My great-uncle Walter is in an American military cemetery in Normandy from the SECOND World War. After the war, his widow was asked if she wanted his body returned or left in France--and she decided that the world's memory was more importnat than her feelings. She died without ever being able to travel to visit his grave, and both his little daughters have also grown old without ever being able to visit their father, either--so you have no idea how much this is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 27, 2007 Author Share Posted May 27, 2007 Today I will visit these two graves to lay flowers together with some good friends who in the last two weeks also adopted graves. We will be there with some 7th armoured veterans. I will post pictures tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 27, 2007 Author Share Posted May 27, 2007 That's a nice gesture. I also adopted a grave at Henri-Chapelle cemetery few months ago. It is the grave of a WWII US B17 gunner killed on december 25 1944... It is the less we can do for our american friends !Thats right Bernard, did you do research on this gunner ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 28, 2007 Author Share Posted May 28, 2007 Overview shotThe gravesA friend of mine, a Dutch veteran is introduced to the organizer of the ceremony. The Military Attache of the American Embassy. ( very nice fellow who just returned from Afghanistan )Who can tell me what this person does? He wears a kind of castles as insignia.Vice-admiraal ir. Michiel van Maanen (IGK) with a veteran from the 7 armoured divison Mr. Schreuders, former commandant of the Royal Military School and chairman of the Korea Veterans. He wears the bravery awards "The Bronze Cross"Military attache from China?It was a very nice day. The ceremonie and Fly over was great. I spoke to a lot of Dutch and American veterans. I also spoke with the American Ambassador Mr. Arnell and his wife and a few Dutch officials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 28, 2007 Author Share Posted May 28, 2007 Some pictures I found online:Fly over:China and someone from a former communist country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr General Posted May 28, 2007 Author Share Posted May 28, 2007 I managed to get in contact with the veterans organisation of the 784th Tank Battalion. Maybe they have some info for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dwyer Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 (edited) Who can tell me what this person does? He wears a kind of castles as insignia.US Army Corps of Engineers officer (lieutenant colonel).Here's a link to the US Army Institute of Heraldry page on branch insigniahttp://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Branches...larInsignia.htm Edited May 29, 2007 by Mike Dwyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernard Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Thats right Bernard, did you do research on this gunner ?Yes sir ! I even had information directly from the family. His nephew is still alive. He sent me pictures and stories about his uncle by letters. He asked me to meet in the USA but unfortunatly I am not rich enough to go there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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