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name
CRANFILL, M D - Date of
birth
30 July 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Hico, Hamilton County, Texas -
Hometown
Corpus Christie, Nueces County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38671621 -
Rank
Private -
Function
unknown -
Unit
D Company,
1st Battalion,
112th Infantry Regiment,
28th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
12 November 1944 - Place of
death
Luftwaffenlazarett I/XII "Hermann Göring", Aktienstrasse
Andernach am Rhein, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 8 | 4 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Tom B. Cranfill (father)
Leila Cranfill (mother)
Stanley Cranfill (brother)
Norma Cranfill (sister)
Cleburne M. Cranfill (brother)
Gordie Cranfill (sister)
Eula F. (McManus) Cranfill (wife)
Lela E. Cranfill (daughter)
More information
Pvt M.D. Cranfill was a chauffeur before he enlisted at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on 16 March 1944.On 8 November 1944, his regiment was holding positions on the north end of Kommerscheidt and was ordered to withdraw to the west bank of the Kall river. During the nocturnal withdrawal, that was undetected by the enemy, some men were wounded by enemy mortar fire. Pvt Cranfill was wounded by shell fragments on both legs and was taken prisoner.
He was evacuated to the German field hospital Luftwaffenlazarett I/XII "Hermann Göring" in Andernach am Rhein, where he arrived on 10 November and where he died four days later. The cause of death was diagnosed as pulmonary gangrene.
He was initially buried at the cemetery of this town on 17 November 1944. His remains were recovered from this cemetery by a Quartermaster Graves Registration Company of the U.S. Army and reburied in a temporary grave at Margraten on 20 February 1946.
After being disinterred and after the cemetery was given his permanent status, Pvt Cranfill was given his final resting place on 18 January 1949.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com - Lela Cranfill Roberts (daughter), www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Cranfill Family Tree / Texas Birth Index / 1920 Census, After Action Reports of the 112th Infantry Regiment, IDPF
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.wwiimemorial.com - Lela Cranfill Roberts (daughter)