Memorial

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Pvt Robert L. Skaar enlisted in August 1944 and was sent overseas in January 1945.

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously for his actions on the day of his death. The citation cited: When the patrol in which he was a rifleman was attacked by a strong enemy force, Pvt Skaar unhesitatingly opened fire to pin down the enemy. Although wounded by an enemy sniper, he continued the fight until a grenade exploded near him and he was again wounded. By his courageous action Pvt Skaar enabled his squad to withdraw to cover with a minimum of casualties.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that Pvt Skaar was accounted for on 7 June 2024.
On 10 March 1945, Pvt Skaar was killed in action while his unit was on patrol near Wildenguth, France. The Germans never reported Skaar as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not immediately recovered.
Beginning in 1946, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, searched the area around Wildenguth. None of the investigations uncovered any leads regarding the disposition of Skaar’s remains. Consequently, he was declared non-recoverable on 12 March 1951.
DPAA historians have been conducting on-going research into Soldiers missing from combat around Wildenguth. and found that X-5726 Neuville (X-5726), buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, could be associated with Skaar.

These unidentified remains were found above ground in the Wildenguth Forest by a member of the demining service in July 1947.

X-5726 was disinterred in August 2022 and transferred to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis.

To identify Skaar’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), mitochondrial genome DNA (mtG), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis.
Skaar’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Pvt Skaar has been given his final resting place in La Crosse, Wisconsin on 1 October 2024.