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Personal info

Full name
CONRAD, Alfred H
Date of birth
13 November 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Terre Haute,Vigo County, Indiana
Hometown
Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana

Military service

Service number
O-1109864
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Platoon Commander
Unit
D Company,
307th Airborne Engineer Battalion,
82nd Airborne Division
Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
19 September 1944
Place of death
Devils Hill, Hill 75.9, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
K 1 7

Immediate family

Members
Henry W. Conrad (father)
Avice M. (Knipmeyer) McKibben (mother)
Joseph P. McKibben (stepfather)
Henry W. Conrad (brother)
Mary E. Conrad (sister)

More information

Alfred H. Conrad attended college for one year and was a bookkeeper.

He volunteered for the Army of the United States at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana on 10 June 1942.

He was awarded the Netherlands Government decoration for bravery, the "Bronze Lion", posthumously. The decoration was accompanied by the official Netherlands government citation and an English translation of the document. It was handed to his mother.

The citation translation accompanying the medal reads: We Wilhelmina, by the grace of God, Queen of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, etc., on the recommendation of Our Ministers of War and for Foreign Affairs , dated Oct. 8, 1945, Secret Nr. Y. 22.
Have approved and ordered:
1. To award the "Bronze Lion" to 2nd Lt Alfred H. Conrad, for distinguishing himself during the operation of the 82nd Airborne Division in the area of Nijmegen in the period from Sept. 17 to Oct. 4, 1944, by doing particularly gallant and tactful deeds and setting, in every respect, a praiseworthy example in very difficult circumstances, for which he paid with his life.
Our Ministers of War and for Foreign Affairs, are, each for his own part, in charge of the execution of this decree, copy of which shall be sent to the Chancellor of The Netherlands Order of Knighthood.

He was also awarded the Silver Star Medal postumously for his actions on 19 September 1944. The citation cited: 2nd Lt Conrad, Platoon Commander, was leading his platoon in an attack on a hill occupied by strong enemy forces in dug in positions. The platoon was forward of the main line of resistance. A machine gun from a dug in position pinned the platoon down by fire. 2nd Lt Conrad, noting the machine gun position and that it pinned down the troops on the flanks and effectively held up their forward movement, set out to eliminate it as quickly as possible. He proceeded with one man to wipe it out by use of a hand grenade. While attempting to get within throwing distance, 2nd Lt Conrad was killed by fire from the machine gun. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Lt Conrad was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Molenhoek, the Netherlands on 1 October 1944. He was repatriated to Margraten Cemetery on 14 June 1946 and given his final resting place on 12 February 1949.

Source of information: Jac Engels, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.307th.org, Vigo County Public Library (scrapbook), www.bevrijdingsmuseum.nl, IDPF

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.307th.org, Vigo County Public Library (scrapbook)