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name
HEINLEIN, Crayton Mcgee - Date of
birth
29 June 1914 -
Age
30 - Place of
birth
Illinois -
Hometown
Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36784603 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
H Company,
2nd Battalion,
39th Infantry Regiment,
9th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
18 March 1945 - Place of
death
Kalenborn, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 2 | 33 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Crayton M. Heinlein (father)
Lena (Morrison) Heinlein (mother)
William M. Heinlein (brother)
Virginia L. Heinlein (sister)
Irma D. Heinlein (wife)
Larry M. Heinlein (son)
Linda R. Heinlein (daughter)
Rebecca L. Rohn (granddaughter)
Crayton S. Smith (grandson)
Jennifer L. van Buren (granddaughter)
Kenneth A. Kirschner (grandson)
Edward A. Kirschner (grandson)
More information
Crayton M. Heinlein attended Eastern Illinois State Teachers College High School, graduating in 1932 He attended college at EISTC from 1932 to 1934 and then worked as a Railway Express agent in Anderson, Indiana and Mattoon, Illinois.Crayton M. Heinlein enlisted on 5 January 1944 and landed in Europe on D-Day +3. During the winter of 1944-45, one of the coldest on record in Europe, he lost part of both feet to frostbite but refused medical evacuation. For this wound he was awarded the Purple Heart a first time. After he had recovered, he rejoined his unit, where during a short sharp firefight, he was credited with saving the life of his best friend. He was killed shortly thereafter by several shrapnel fragments.
Source of information: FOHF, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census
Photo source: Ralph Peeters, Jenny van Buren, www.newspapers.com - The Pittsburgh Press