501st PIR Plaques Eerde Mill
Details:
On the west side of the road, next to the monument for the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. It is hanging on the top right portion of the outside wall of the mill entrance. Plaque
Three
white plaques bearing the names of the paratroopers of the 501st
PIR, the British soldiers of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps,
and villagers from Eerde, that were killed in the area in September 1944. On
the first 2 plaques are where the 72 American soldiers were inscribed.
There is a windmill behind
that was used as an observation post, as well as a church a little further up
the street in the village. The night after the 501st landed, the Germans moved
a large defensive into the area and the battle continued for several days. The
post directed mortar fire on German troops that attacked Eerde from the
direction of Schijndel coming through sand dunes that in those days existed
west of the village. The mortar section was dug in at the church. The windmill
and the church of Eerde became badly damaged by grenades and German shells
during the fighting and the Windmill would change hands six times. Eerde was
finally liberated Sunday, September 24.
Monument Text:
1st Plaque:
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
THE AMERICAN PARATROOPERS OF THE
501st PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT
101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
|
PVT ROBERT KESTER 1LT FRANK W. DANIELSON 1LT JOHN W. ELL PFC JOHN M. QUINLAN SGT JACOB H. WINGARD SGT THEODORE M. WILTSHIRE PVT PETE T. PHILLIPS PFC ALVIE K. GRIFFITH PFC ALBERT BASS SGT PATRICK H. CHOATE PVT ARTHUR J. EARL T/5 WALTER S. FOSTER 1LT CECIL O. FUQUAY PFC WALTER J. FURTAK PVT JOSEPH W. GARRITY PVT BRONISLAW KRASKA PFC KENNETH P. REILLER SSGT GEORGE H. Jr ADAMS SSGT PAUL P. ANDERSON PVT JACK W. DELAY SSGT ARTHUR HUTTNER PVT GEORGE M. KELLY (MIA) PVT WILLIAM F. LIERLY PFC JOHN C. MARNYE PVT WAYNE A. MCCLUNG |
PVT FRANCIS J. MCKEOWN 1LT ROBERT S. SCHORSCH T/4 THEODORE P. STEETS PVT JACK L. TEDDER PVT LAWRENCE T. CORMIER PVT DONALD HOSIE SSGT EUEL J. LANGLINAIS PFC STANISLAW LECK PFC DAVID R. "TONY" SALAZAR 1LT JOHN L. "JACK" WHITE PVT JOSEPH C. BAZAN SGT FOREST G. BURK PVT WILLIAM J. GREEN PVT JOSEPH J. CERRA SSGT RAYMOND R. EDGELL CPT VERNON KRAEGER PVT ANDREW W. Jr MAHONEY PFC WILLIAM T. O'KEEFE PFC MANUEL M. PINEDA (502nd) PVT JACK R. "BONES" WATTS PVT ORVEN E. FRISBY SGT CHESTER L. BROOKS SSGT JOHN A. KUSHNER CPL BUSTER E. "WHITEY" WILLIAMS |
2nd Plaque:
|
PVT ARTHUR HERNANDEZ 1LT GLENN F. JANITZ PFC HARRY C. MASON T/5 GEORGE W. PHILLIPS PVT RICHARD H. WALDREP PFC MARTIN BUSBY PFC WALTER D. COOPER PFC ORLIN L.D. CRAFT PVT IRVIN W. CULLER (MIA) PVT VINCENT J. FIATO PFC ALVIN O. GEIGER JR. |
PVT ROY D. KIRKPATRICK CPL CARMAN S. LADNER (MIA) T/5 CLARENCE C. MCINTOSH SGT HOMER G. HUGHES PFC ROYAL A. JACOBS PVT JOSEPH RENO SGT WILLIAM J. ELLER PFC CHARLES W. STEPHENS PFC FREDDIE BRANNON PFC ANTHONY G. DURBIN PVT ELMER E. VALLEJOS |
IN THIS WINDMILL WAS KILLED
ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 1944
ABOUT ELEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING
JACOB H. WINGARD PENNSYLVANIA
SGT 501 PRCHT INF ABN DIV.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE
ON THE AMERICAN CEMETERY
OF MARGATREN.
BETWEEN THE WINDMILL AND THE HOUSE
WAS A BRITISH SHERMAN TANK
KNOCKED OUT DURING THE FIGHT
ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 1944
IN THAT TANK WERE KILLED
3 BRITISH SOLDIERS.
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
IN THE CHURCHYARD OF EERDE.
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
502nd Parachute infantry Regiment
Wars:
WWII
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