Private Darrell M. Tranbarger, Orval's Brother, Killed in 1945

In my April 8, 2020,  blog entry, I wrote about Seaman 1st Class Orval Austin Tranbarger's remains from the USS Oklahoma being identified.

I came across his name in Find-A-Grave and see that his poor family lost a son not only in the opening minutes of the war, but also another one in Europe on 14 April 1945.  Germany's official surrender came on May 7, 1945.  His parents most likely didn't find out until after Germany's surrender.

The sorrow they had to feel had to be indescribable.  Losing sons at the beginning and end of the war like that.

PRIVATE DARREL M. TRANBARGER

Born:18 Mar 1923 in Missouri

Died:  14 April 1945  (age 22)  in the Netherlands

Burial:  Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Netherlands.

He was the family's second-born.  Orval was the first-born.

--GreGen