Sint Geertruid in Eijsden-Margraten, Limburg, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe
30th Infantry Division (“Old Hickory”) Memorial
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, October 28, 2023
1. 30th Infantry Division (“Old Hickory”) Memorial Marker
Deze gedenksteen is een eerbetoon van de inwoners van Herkenrade aan onze Amerikaanse bevrijders van het 117e Regiment van de 30e Infanterie Divisie "Old Hickory".
Tevens ter nagedachtenis van de op 13 september 1944 in Herkenrade gesneuvelde T/sgt. Walter J.Kruszynski uit Illinois tijdens een granaataanval van de terugtrekkende Duitse troepen.
This memorial is a tribute from the residents of Herkenrade to our American liberators of the 117th Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division "Old Hickory".
It is also in memory of Sgt. Walter J. Kruszynski of Illinois, who died in Herkenrade on September 13, 1944 during a grenade attack by the retreating German troops.
Erected 2010 by Buurtvereniging Herkenrade, Heemkundevereniging St. Geertruid.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is September 13, 1944.
Location. 50° 47.738′ N, 5° 46.584′ E. Marker is in Sint Geertruid, Limburg, in Eijsden-Margraten. Memorial is at
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. St. Geertruid Liberation Memorial (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Banholt Liberation Memorial (approx. 2.5 kilometers away); Daniel Pearson, Jr. Memorial (approx. 2.5 kilometers away); Welcome to Holland (approx. 3.2 kilometers away); Dr. Jefferson Wiggins (1925-2013) (approx. 4.2 kilometers away); De Afro-amerikaanse Doodgravers van Margraten / The African-American gravediggers of Margraten (approx. 4.2 kilometers away); Vliegtuigcrash Hoogcruts / Plane Crash at Hoogcruts (approx. 4.6 kilometers away); Het Eerste Bevrijde Cafe / The First Liberated Cafe (approx. 4.8 kilometers away).
Also see . . . Onthulling oorlogsgedenkteken bij de put (Herkenrade.nl, in Dutch). The town of Herkenrade page for the memorial, with numerous pictures of the dedication plus an extensive biography for Sgt. Kruszynski.
Excerpt (in translation): …The Allies only managed to break through the stiff German defense in mid-August, but then there was no stopping them. The armies rolled straight through France, driving the Germans before them in a disorderly flight. Paris was liberated(Submitted on November 1, 2023.)on August 25, Brussels on September 3. On September 12 at 10 a.m., men from the first battalion of the 117th regiment were the first Americans to cross the Belgian-Dutch border at Voeren. Mesch was given the honor of being the first liberated Dutch town to be included in the history books. Walter was part of K-Company of the third battalion of the 117th regiment. That battalion spent the night of September 12 to 13 on the Mescherheide. The next morning the unit moved via Moerslag to DeBukel, where the battalion was divided into the various companies. The American infantry advanced as much as possible through fields and meadows. The roads were avoided because there was the greatest risk of shelling. Kruszynki's K company was ordered to advance to Herkenrade via DePley and Heerkuil. Their final destination that day was the Rijksweg near Blankenberg. K company reached Herkenrade via the pasture of the Lanckohr family. Once there, the troops were fired upon by cannons positioned behind the Geul in Valkenburg, where the Germans had formed a front against the advancing Americans. During this bombardment, seventy-year-old Maria Elisabeth Lanckohr-Bours was killed. At that moment she was standing in the gate of her farm. A piece of red-hot shrapnel then also hit Walter Kruszynski, who suffered a life-threatening head injury. His comrades immediately provided first medical care and afterPhotographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, October 28, 20232. 30th Infantry Division (“Old Hickory”) Memorial - wide viewThe memorial is mounted to a stone located on the corner at an intersection. Due to the way the plaque is mounted, from the street the plaque itself is not really visible.some time he was picked up by the called medical troops and taken to a field hospital in Belgium. He died there a few hours after arrival.Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, October 28, 20233. 30th Infantry Division (“Old Hickory”) Memorial - wider view
Credits. This page was last revised on December 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 64 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 1, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
