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Personal info

Full name
VAN AALTEN, Sylvan
Date of birth
17 May 1913
Age
31
Place of birth
Antwerp, Belgium
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York
Religion
Jewish

Military service

Service number
42070964
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
E Company,
2nd Battalion,
28th Infantry Regiment,
8th Infantry Division
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 November 1944
Place of death
In the vicinity of Vossenack-Brandenberg, Hürtgen Forest, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
K 20 18

Immediate family

Members
George van Aalten (father)
Rosa (Velleman) van Aalten (mother)
Miriam van Aalten (sister)
William van Aalten (brother)

More information

Pfc Sylvan Van Aalten was born in Belgium and his parents in the Netherlands.

He was a watchmaker before he joined the National Guard in New York, Queens on 29 January 1944.

According to a newspaper article in the Daily News of 3 August 1945, he was killed after he volunteered to wipe out an enemy machine gun nest.

At the time of his death his brother William served with the U.S. Navy.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, WWIIMemorial.com, Archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - New York Guard Service Card, www.newspapaers.com - Daily News - 28 July 1945 / 3 August 1945

Photo source: www.newspapaers.com - Daily News - 3 August 1945