WILLEMS, Bernard "Bennie" | Fields of Honor

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Personal info

Full name
WILLEMS, Bernard "Bennie"

Date of birth
30 December 1923

Age
21

Place of birth
Delft, Cottonwood County, Minnesota

Hometown
Cottonwood County, Minnesota

Military service

Service number
37552003

Rank
Staff Sergeant

Function
unknown

Unit
C Company,
1st Battalion,
328th Infantry Regiment,
26th Infantry Division

Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action

Date of death
11 April 1945

Place of death
Near Scheibe, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten

Plot	Row	Grave
A	6	21

Immediate family

Members
Gerhard Willems (father)
Katherine (Enns) Willems (mother)
Lando Willems (brother)
Linda Willems (sister)
Rosella Willems (sister)
Adeline Willems (sister)

More information

S/Sgt Bernard Willems was killed in action April 11, 1945 as his company was attacking an enemy position near Scheibe, Germany. He was was first buried at the military cemetery at Eisenach, Germany.

The citation of his Silver Star stated:
"On 16 March 1945, an assault platoon of Company C came under enemy machine gun, bazooka and small arms fire, delivered from a strong defensive position centering about a pillbox. Staff Sergeant Willems, a Company C squad leader, advanced alone through the intense enemy fire which was immediately concentrated on him and, approaching to within forty yards of the hostile position, accurately tossed several fragmentation of white phosphorous grenades into the pillbox. His heroic action completely neutralized the fire of the hostile pillbox and demoralized the enemy in the immediate vicinity of the emplacement, causing them to come forward and surrender."