I adopted two American wwII graves

[Herr General]

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. Army

Service number # 33597026

Regiment 784th Tank Battalion

Entered the Service from Pennsylvania

County

Place of enlistment Philadelphia

Date of enlistment 30-03-1943

Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other

emergency, plus six months, subject to the

discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

Year of Birth 1923

Nativity Virginia

Race and Citizenship Negro citizen

Education Grammar school

Civilian occupation Tractor ? truck driver

Marital status Single, with dependents

Died 03-03-1945

Buried at Plot C Row 3 Grave 21

Netherlands American Cemetery

Margraten, Netherlands

Awards Purple Heart

Carl F. Danajovits

Rank Private First Class, U.S. Army

Service number # 42134462

Regiment 334th Infantry Regiment

Division 84th Infantry Division

Entered the Service from 23 New York

County Bronx

Place of enlistment CP Upton Yaphank

Date of enlistment 16-05-1944

Term of enlistment Enlistment for the duration of the War or other

emergency, plus six months, subject to the

discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

Year of Birth 1924

Nativity New York

Race and Citizenship White citizen

Education 2 years of high school

Civilian occupation Automobile Serviceman

Marital status Single, without dependents

Died 26-02-1945

Buried at Plot C Row 15 Grave 23

Netherlands American Cemetery

Margraten, Netherlands

Awards Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

[Guest Rick Research]

Thank you!

[Naxos]

Commendable!

Hardy

[David S]

It's a wonderful thing you've done !!

Since you have the info, look here

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-...ce-records.html

Edited May 19, 2007 by David S

[Chris Boonzaier]

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" ?

[JBFloyd]

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.

[Michael Johnson]

Here's a good link that tells what the 784th were doing March 3, 1945. Impressive.

http://www.784th.com/

[Paul R]

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.

[Ulsterman]

very good of you!

Well done !

Bravo.

[hunyadi]

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

[Herr General]

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!

[bernard]

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 !

[Guest Rick Research]

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.

[Herr General]

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!

[Herr General]

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 ?

[Herr General]

Overview shot

The graves

A 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.

[Herr General]

Some pictures I found online:

Fly over:

China and someone from a former communist country

[Herr General]

I managed to get in contact with the veterans organisation of the 784th Tank Battalion. Maybe they have some info for me!

[Mike Dwyer]

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 insignia

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Branches...larInsignia.htm

Edited May 29, 2007 by Mike Dwyer

[bernard]

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