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Personal info

Full name
COLE, Benjamin David
Date of birth
22 April 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia
Hometown
LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia

Military service

Service number
34579870
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
L Company,
3rd Battalion,
47th Infantry Regiment,
9th Infantry Division
Awards
Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
13 April 1945
Place of death
Ahlsdorf, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
J 19 19

Immediate family

Members
Joseph S. Cole (father)
Ella (Watts) Cole (mother)
Herman Cole (brother)
Carl Cole (brother)
J. W. Cole (brother)
Jimmy L. Cole (brother)
Joe Cole (brother)
Neil Cole (brother)
Odell Cole (brother)
Andrew Cole (brother)
Sam Cole (brother)

More information

Pfc Benjamin D. Cole enlisted at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia on 23 December 1942.

L Company was loaded on the back of tanks of the 3rd Armored Division. They were rolling into a little town called Ahlsdorf when the local Volksturm ambushed the tank column. Together with his squad, Pfc Cole was riding on the fifth tank. Pfc Cole was standing and was hit in the head and rolled off the back of the tank. The next tank in line ran over him. Three other members of the squad were also hit and wounded.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, David Alton Cole (nephew), www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, David Cole