Dutch Taking Care of American Graves in Their Country-- Part 2

The Dutch family, however, is missing a photograph of William A. Herron and would like to have one.  Harrie Visschers discovered that William was born August 19, 1924 in  Keokuk, Iowa.  He wrote to the City of Madison in hopes of finding  a descendant with a picture to place on his grave.

The library found a death notice, but no photo with the obituary.

STORY FROM A CAFE

During the war, German soldiers would look for places .  Cafe owners had to take them in or risk being shot. Harrie's grandmother and grandfather had a cafe  and said that the Germans were polite and "normal young people."

"Nearing the end of the war, the liberators -- American and Canadian soldiers passing through to the front lines -- also found shelter in the cafe of my grandparents,"  Harrie said.  "Grandmother was a great cook, and so she indulged the boys, their heroes.  But with one soldier she had a special mother-son relation."

That was William Herron.

After he left town, he sent her another letter asking her that if he was killed in Germany that Tina should send the letter to his parents, who lived in Ohio.

Once Tina discovered that William had been killed in the town of Wesel on March 24, she mailed the letter.

--GreGen

Private Tranbarger's Grave Is Cared For By Netherlanders-- Part 1: Also Take Care of Grave of William A. Heron of Keokuk, Iowa

From the December 8, 2016, Daily Gate City (Keokuk, Iowa)  "Netherlanders care for American graves" by Chis Faulkner.

In April 1945, Tina Visschers-Cleuskens of Beek, Limburg, Netherlands  adopted the grave of an American soldier who died there in World War II and is buried in the town of Margraten.

His name was William A. Herron, a private first class from Iowa as the war was nearing its end and Americans were in the process of  liberating their country from the Germans.  William Herron died  on March 24, 1945, just a few days before the end of the war.

Every year, on March 24, Tina visited his grave, and also on Christmas and Memorial Day, and placed gladiolas on his grave.

She died in 1988 at the age of 91, but her grandson, Harrie Visschers, has continued the tradition.

The family also takes care of Darrell M. Tranbarger's grave at the cemetery.   Darrell's brother Orval was killed on the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941, and his remains just identified this year.

--GreGen