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name
CENTEN, Donald Raphael - Date of
birth
21 April 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Brown County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36293976 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
I Company,
3rd Battalion,
407th Infantry regiment,
102nd Infantry Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
8 February 1945 - Place of
death
Near Flossdorf, Ruhr river, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
William Centen (father)
Antoinetta (Josephs) Centen (mother)
Florence Centen (sister)
Dorothy Centen (sister)
Lorainne Centen (sister)
Joann Centen (sister)
Clifford A. Centen (brother)
Robert W. Centen (brother)
Charlotte A. Centen (sister)
Katleen Centen (sister)
More information
Pfc Donald R. Centen was a graduate of East High School, and before entering service was employed in the North Western railroad freight office.He was inducted January 1, 1943, and after basic training at Camp Robinson, Ark., attended the University of Maryland engineering school for nine months. From there he was transferred to Camp Swift, Texas and went overseas from Fort Dix, New Jersey with an Infantry unit of the Ninth Army in September, 1944.
He was crossing the Ruhr river with a patrol on a reconnaissance and mine removal mission, according to word from the War Department. When the patrol was within five yards of the east bank, it was ambushed by the Germans, who opened up with rifle, machine gun and grenade fire. The Americans were forced to leave their boat, and this was the last time Centen was seen. A search for him proved unavailing.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees / 1930 Census / Chicago and North Western Railroad Employment Record, www.newspapers.com - Green Bay Press-Gazette
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - Green Bay Press-Gazette