A touching letter from the Netherlands

[Walt's Daughter]

Imagine my surprise when I received the following letter from a young man from the Netherlands. I am copying his letter to me and then my reply follows. Talk about another coincidence. This one gave me goose bumps again!

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My name is Rick Mommers, I am 18 years old and living in The Netherlands. At

the American Military Cemetery in the town called Margraten (the

Netherlands) I adopted the grave of Afred Corgan. He was fighting for our

freedom during the Second World War. I read on your website that your

brother Robert Morneweck was in the same company and died in at the same

time.

 

Incase you knew Alfred Corgan, I hereby want to ask you if you maybe can

help me to gather more information about the soldier whom grave I adopted. I

am pointing on information like; how did he look like, when and where he has

been born, where he lived, if he had family, how he spent his youth, at what

base he had his education, what kind of division he was serving, where he

was fighting, if he had medailles and if there are relatives who are still

alive and so on.

 

I would like to ask you if it is possible to help me finding an answer to

the above mentioned questions. Hopefully it is also possible to receive some

pictures of him and copies of some documents and maybe to correspond with

some relatives of Alfred Corgan.

 

I really hope and appreciate to receive an answer on this letter. I was

searching on Internet and hoped to find some information about him, but

unfortunately without any results. You are my last hope to help me, If the

name Alfred Corgan doesn’t ring a bell, than let me know so I can delete

your address from my researchlist. It would be nice to know more about the

person whose grave I take care of and lay flowers.

 

I enclosed more information about the soldier.

 

I am thanking you in advance and look forward to your reply.

 

With kind regards,

Rick

Mommers

 

Alfred G. Corgan

Private First Class, U.S. Army

Service # 42120877

506th Parachute Infantry Regt, 101st Airborne Division, Co A

Birth: Unadilla, NY

Entered the Service from: New York, Delaware County, Walton

Died: April 12, 1945, Himmelgeist Germany (operation Varsity)

Buried at: Plot D Row 10 Grave 5

Netherlands American Cemetery

Margraten, Netherlands

Awards: Purple Heart

[Walt's Daughter]

Dear Rick:

 

Seems like you have written to the right person at the right time. As soon as I saw the name, I knew I recognized it. Sure enough when I saw the photo you sent and the date of his death, then I realized he died the same day as Robert and in fact is mentioned in my friend's book (Donald Burgett).

 

Robert is my buddy Art's brother, and Robert died re-crossing the Rhine with members of "A" Company. Here are the facts:

 

"As you know, Bob died on our Rhine crossing the night of April 11-12, 1945, but he wasn't killed by enemy fire. On our return crossing of the river, we came under fire from a German 88mm cannon sending air bursts above the river. Whether due to this or overcrowding, I can't say, but two of our boats overturned and seven men were lost, one of whom was your brother. Those men were originally listed as "Missing in action", but that was changed a week later to "Killed in action". This is from Donald Straith, another friend of mine and member of A Co, 506th, 101st.

 

"Company A did make a night crossing attack of the Rhine into the German town of Himmelgiest the same night that President Roosevelt died. Four of our men were killed outright on the other side, their bodies were recovered two nights later by one of our patrols led by Sgt. Jack Bram, now deceased. None of these men was your brother. On our return trip from the attack in assault boats we were shelled by German tanks that approached the edge of the Rhine. Several boats were overturned and several of our troopers were drowned, one of them from my squad named Alfred Corgan. Two other new replacement men in my squad were also drowned that night, their bodies were recovered several days later on the shore two miles downstream. I do not recall their names for they were among the new men that came to us as replacements when the 4th Armored broke into Bastogne.

 

However, I did find your brother's name listed in the KIA section of the 101st book, 'Rendezvous With Destiny', by Rapport and Northwood. I am very sorry that evidently one of the men that died that night was your brother and that due to circumstances of the battles that we were engaged in I did not get to know him better and that I cannot tell you more about him. Robert did conduct himself as a paratrooper and with bravery that is well associated with all paratroopers. All my best to you and yours." This is from Donald Burgett, another friend of mine and member of A Co, 506th, 101st.

 

I am copying an excerpt from the book for you too. Am sending it as an attachment. It is taken from Across the Rhine.

 

I would strongly suggest that you purchase these books in particular as they do mention Corgan by name:

 

Beyond the Rhine - Donald Burgett

Rendezvous with Destiny - Rapport & Northwood

 

I will also contact Don and ask him if he has anymore details. I will let you know as soon as I hear anything. When I attend the 101st luncheon next month, I will read your letter to the "guys".

 

I still cannot get over the coincidence. I am SO happy that you contacted me. It actually gave me goose bumps.

 

I am also going to send this to my friend in the Netherlands too and maybe when we get more info, we can start a page for him on my site and my friend Stevin's site.

 

I look forward to hearing from you. Please let me repeat how happy I am that you found me. I think it is just great. I am so happy to be able to help you.

 

Please keep in touch.

 

Warm regards,

Marion

 

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After I sent the letter above, I then sat down and sent an email to Don Straith and Don Burgett of the 101st. I included a copy of Rick's letter and hopefully they will be able to fill in a little more history on Alfred Corgan.

[Cadetat6]

Fiction could not come close to a story like this of true life

It blows your mind

 

papa Art

[Walt's Daughter]

Totally agree Papa. It really makes you think. Just realizing all the ties and it all goes back to me finding your love letter regarding your wife and responding to it on one of many WWII forums. What were the odds? And look at all that has sprouted from that ONE LITTLE EMAIL FROM ME TO YOU! Makes one think twice, n'est pas?

 

Hugs,

M

[Cadetat6]

Yes the love letter mentioned 8 Mile and Gratiot and then we find that was the stomping grounds of Mr. K

The Lord works in mysterious ways

\

 

papa

[Cadetat6]

As Bogart would say

 

"Marion, I think this is beginning of a beautiful friend-ship"

 

papa