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 May, 2009
Get ready for a poignant story.
This is the letter that started it all: |
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hello
i,m erik snijder from the netherlands and i adopted the grave from snyder lee r who was kia at ww2
can you please help me for info where he was coming from
which place in doddridge county
i,m looking for all kinds of info about him
with friendly regards
erik snijder
netherlands |
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We wrote back requesting more information about our correspondent, after researching and finding that the adoption of the graves of American Servicemen KIA is considered an honor in this country. |
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Hello
I,am erik snijder 33 years old and married with marjan
We have 2 children chris 7 years and isa 5 years
We are living in the town eelde near by the city Groningen netherlands
A year ago I adopted a grave at the cemetery henri-chappel belgium
From the soldier snyder lee r.
In Holland en Belgium you can adopt a grave from a fallen soldier of ww2 costless the rule is that you lay flowers by the grave by special days like Memorial Day or Christmas
The cemetery is breathtaking so many crosses and so in good shape
Many of the people who adopt a grave want to know the soldier better because we are still thankful what you Americans and allied forces did and still are doing for us.
You can start to request a idpf (individual deceased personnel file)
There is a lot of information in that report like:
How he was kia
Relatives
Location were he was kia
And many more
Where he came from
Etc
It’s a very busy hobby to search for information especially because the USA is far away
A letter takes 5 to 7 days to arrive and you must wait and wait
But sometimes the waiting gets results on the mail or email and a little bit or lot information
I writhe I think 40 a 50 letters to churches, schools, people , the army etc
And at this time I get a lot letters back because the address is not correct.
Maybe there are people who have more information if you put this story in your paper
I hope you have enough information to make an article for your paper
If the paper is ready can you sent me the paper
I,m sorry for the poor englisch
I hope that you understand it
If you need more info contact me at
Erik snijder
Dr.a.plesmanweg 2
9765 gt
paterswolde |
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We requested information from the community. The following response was the most complete - from Rennie Brown, a meticulous researcher: |
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 I think I've found information that your Dutch correspondent is looking for, but there is one major discrepancy: The information I found indicates burial in France, not Belgium. On the other hand, graves are sometimes relocated, or a memorial may be in one location while the grave itself is elsewhere. I would be interested to know what the situation is in this case. Here's what I found:
From "World War II Dead Interred in American Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil and World War II and Korea Missing or Lost or Buried at Sea," National Archives and Records Administration:
Name: Lee R Snyder
Inducted From: West Virginia
Rank: Sergeant
Combat Organization: 101st Infantry 24th Division
Death Date: 17 Nov 1944
Monument: Lorraine, France
Last Known Status: Buried
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Bronze Star Medal
From "Rosters of World War II Dead," U.S. Army Quartermaster General Office:
Name: Lee R Snyder
Gender: Male
Race: White
Religion: Protestant
Cemetery Name: Saint Avold (Permanent Cemetery), Saint Avold, France
Grave Number: b 22 50
Disposition: According to next of kin
Service Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Service Number: 35391458
This individual also appears on my genealogy website at the following links:
http://www.doddridgecountyroots.com/html/fam/fam00231.html
http://www.doddridgecountyroots.com/bk6html/f231.html
http://www.doddridgecountyroots.com/htmlpedigree/pedigree2.htm#2.INDI18676.10609.FAM226.197.INDI18676.10609.4322.0
Future updates to the site will contain a few more details that I didn't have until doing this particular search. For example, I found him with his family as a 10-year-old son in the 1930 Census of Nutter Fort in Harrison County, WV.
I'm also attaching a photo of him, as well as an article regarding the posthumous presentation of his Bronze Star to his mother. The description of his heroic actions in battle is quite moving.
Rennie
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| Thank you, Rennie, and all who responded. Thank you Eric, and all of your countrymen who honor our fallen soldiers there. |
