Luxembourg American Cemetery & Memorial

In December of 1944 the German army launched its final offense on allied forces. More than a million men fought in the battle that lasted over a month. The Battle of the Bulge brought the United State’s heaviest losses during World War II. In the end there were 200,000 casualties, with thousands of tanks and aircraft lost. The American victory broke the Siegfried Line and opened the path to invade Germany and end the European front. The American Cemetery in Luxembourg, holds the remains of over 5,000 troops who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and the skirmishes that followed.

Alabama

John Campbell Jan 9th 1945

Arkansas

James Butler December 31st 1944

Arizona

Bearl Mitchell March 6th 1945

California

George Patton Jr Dec 21st 1945

Colorado

Cecil Mobley Dec 27th 1944

Connecticut

Stanley Kulpinske March 20th 1945

Washington DC

Thomas Roberts March 6th 1945

Delaware

Walter Moore March 15th 1945

Florida

Theodore Barthle February 14th 1945

Georgia

Charles Kinsey March 6th 1945

Hawaii

Samuel Lua February 15th 1945

Idaho

Lawrence Briscoe February 19th 1945

Illinois

Harold Marsh February 19th 1945

Indiana

William McGee March 19th 1945

A medical aid man, he made a night crossing of the Moselle River with troops endeavoring to capture the town of Mulheim. The enemy had retreated in the sector where the assault boats landed, but had left the shore heavily strewn with antipersonnel mines. Two men of the first wave attempting to work their way forward detonated mines which wounded them seriously, leaving them bleeding and in great pain beyond the reach of their comrades. Entirely on his own initiative, Pvt. McGee entered the minefield, brought out 1 of the injured to comparative safety, and had returned to rescue the second victim when he stepped on a mine and was severely wounded in the resulting explosion. Although suffering intensely and bleeding profusely, he shouted orders that none of his comrades was to risk his life by entering the death-sown field to render first aid that might have saved his life. In making the supreme sacrifice, Pvt. demonstrated a concern for the well-being of his fellow soldiers that transcended all considerations for his own safety and a gallantry in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.

Iowa

Loren Turbett January 18th 1945

Kansas

Robert Oberst March 16th 1945

Kentucky

Arnold Brown January 18th 1945

Louisiana

Erving Pedigo January 4th 1945

Maine

Camillo Matarazzo December 23rd 1944

Maryland

Michael Hyduke March 11 1945

Massachusetts

Ange Roy March 15th 1945

Michigan

Bernard Janes March 20th 1945

Minnesota

Harold Davidson February 12th 1945

Mississippi

Loyd Hall December 17th 1944

Missouri

Sterling Ward December 29th 1944

Montana

Edward Orr January 21st 1945

Nebraska

Julius Okrzesa December 22nd 1945

Nevada

Richard Ortlieb March 14th 1945

New Hampshire

Roland Brassard February 21st 1945

New Jersey

Luxembourg American Cemetery Nelson Simmons December 28th 1944

New Mexico

Cletis Horner April 9th 1944

New York

Ferdinando Marro February 7th 1945

North Carolina

James Leonard January 27th 1945

North Dakota

Thomas White November 26th 1944

Ohio

Howard Cowan January 8th 1945

Oklahoma

Enoch McGahly January 18th 1945

Oregon

Albert Vandersee December 25th 1944

Pennsylvania

Day Turner February 8th 1945

He commanded a 9-man squad with the mission of holding a critical flank position. When overwhelming numbers of the enemy attacked under cover of withering artillery, mortar, and rocket fire, he withdrew his squad into a nearby house, determined to defend it to the last man. The enemy attacked again and again and were repulsed with heavy losses. Supported by direct tank fire, they finally gained entrance, but the intrepid sergeant refused to surrender although 5 of his men were wounded and 1 was killed. He boldly flung a can of flaming oil at the first wave of attackers, dispersing them, and fought doggedly from room to room, closing with the enemy in fierce hand-to-hand encounters. He hurled handgrenade for handgrenade, bayoneted 2 fanatical Germans who rushed a doorway he was defending and fought on with the enemy’s weapons when his own ammunition was expended. The savage fight raged for 4 hours, and finally, when only 3 men of the defending squad were left unwounded, the enemy surrendered. Twenty-five prisoners were taken, 11 enemy dead and a great number of wounded were counted. Sgt. Turner’s valiant stand will live on as a constant inspiration to his comrades. His heroic, inspiring leadership, his determination and courageous devotion to duty exemplify the highest tradition of the military service.