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name
GORINAC, Edward - Date of
birth
22 August 1912 -
Age
32 - Place of
birth
Ohio -
Hometown
Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36968132 -
Rank
Private -
Function
unknown -
Unit
110th Infantry Regiment,
28th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star
Death
-
Status
Died non-Battle - Date of
death
22 March 1945 - Place of
death
Barracks 6 - Berga Prison Camp
Schliben, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 17 | 11 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Jacob Gorinac (father)
Anna (Slechta) Gorinac (mother)
Joseph Gorinac (brother)
Francis Gorinac (brother)
George Gorinac (brother)
Alfred W. Gorinac (brother)
Helen Gorinac (sister)
Stanley Gorinac (brother)
Irene Gorinac (sister)
Pauline Gorinac (sister)
Elizabeth G. Gorinac (sister)
Emily (Leffler) Gorinac (wife)
More information
Pvt Edward Gorinac was employed by the Electric Auto Lite Company.He was taken prisoner on 20 December 1944 and was first sent to Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany. By 22 March 1945, just over a month after arrival at Berga Prison Camp, he was dead.
Until 19 March 1945 Pvt Gorinac kept a diary that was recovered by a fellow American prisoner and later sent to his family:
- Feb. 16: "We were called at 4:30 a.m. Started to work digging out a tunnel. We had to shovel stone. The dust is bad."
- Feb. 21: "This place is worse than Bad Orb. They treat us as slaves. We are even on slave rations like Jews and political prisoners. And to think how we treat their prisoners."
As he grew weaker Gorinac remained observant. On 1 March, he spoke of ''daily beatings''. By 13 March 1945 Gorinac scarcely had the strength to write.
- March 13: "Fred from Lansing died today. I was moved to Barracks No. 2. The infection is getting worse."
- March 16: "I have an awful sore throat. Tried to stay from work but was driven out."
- March 19: "Still in Barracks 6. Throat is sore as hell. Another man was brought in this morning. He died an hour later. Making it four."
Source of information: André Koch, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – World War II Prisoners of War Data File (12/7/1941 - 11/19/1946), www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / Dallas and Cole Tree / Headstone and Interment Record / Michigan Marriage Records
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Times Herald, Charles A Hammond Post 8 American Legion - courtesy of Ed Weichsler