First US grave on cemetery Son.

The first US grave that would be iniated on the cemetery in Son would be the one of private first class Robert James Modracek serialnumber 37427281 of Linn County, Iowa.

Robert Modracek was born on September 15, 1921 as the son of Frank L and Emma M Modracek.

Robert a replacement after the normandy campaign was assigned to D Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th parachute infantry regiment, 101st airborne division just before the Holland mission.

He would be tragically killed just 3 days after he became 23 years old in the fight for the town Eindhoven on September 18, 1944. “Eye witness accounts relate how F Company 506th PIR launched an assault on two German 88mm guns in Eindhoven (Woenselsestraat) with PFC Robert Modracek’s unit in the left flank. Either a mishandled grenade or a mortar shell detonating in the mortar tube, exploded, sending shrapnel into his chest, killing him”

Robert was laying to rest on Son Cemetery on september 19,1944 Plot A gravenumber 1 and reburied after the war in Shueyville Cemetery in Johnson County, Iowa.

Source:

www.506infantry.org

Stories of the fallen "Crash off a piper cub" The story of 2nd LT Jack L Williamson and 1st Lt John M Sherry.

Just one of the fictims of the war in Europe was Jack L Williamson serialnumber O-1182744 came from Appleton in Autagamie county ,Wisconsin.

Jack was the oldest of three sons and became an second lieutenant in the 907^th Glider Field Artillery Battalion (907th GFA) of the 101^st airborne division and enlisted in the army on 26th August 1942.

Lt Williamson served as an air observer in the 907th GFA which meant that he while flying in an airplane directed their own artillery batteries in support of the infantry units.

During the first days of Market Garden their artillery was still in position n the drop,-/landingzone.

These small airplanes called pipercub L-4's came in by several trucks and were easily to handle. The airplane in wich Jack flew was piloted by first luitenant John M Sherry of the 101st Divisional Headquarters.

while flying above Hell’s Highway between St oedenrode and Eerde on the 24^thof september 1944 the came under heavy german small arms fire and went down near the village of Eerde. Both members the pilot and observer were killed during the crash.

The remains of the piper cub liason plane of Lt.Jack L Williamson and Lt. John M Sherry near Eerde.

Jack L Williamson was buried on Son cemetery in plot B row 3 grave number 53 and Lt. John M Sherry in grave number 52.

Later Jack was reburied back in the United States, John M Sherry went to US Cemetery,Margraten and was reburied in plot J row 17 gravenumber 4.

Additional information provided by Kristin Taormina

US CEMETERY SON-

First US grave on cemetery Son.

Stories of the fallen "Crash off a piper cub" The story of 2nd LT Jack L Williamson and 1st Lt John M Sherry.