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Personal info

Full name
CHRISTIANS, Roger W
Date of birth
2 November 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Dorsey, Madison County, Illinois
Hometown
Dearnborn, Wayne County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
36890994
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
C Company,
1st Battalion,
13th Infantry Regiment,
8th Infantry Division
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
16 April 1945
Place of death
In the vicinity of Siegen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
A 17 30

Immediate family

Members
William Christians (father)
Martha Christians (mother)
James Christains (brother)
Lillian Christians (sister)

More information

Roger Christians grew up in Dorsey, attended Zimmerman Elementery School and was a member of Dorsey Lutheran Church. His father, William, died in 1941 and Roger had to leave school to provide for the family. He resided for a while with an uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. E. Tuckey in Dearborn, Michigan, where he was employed at the Farmer's Dairy.

He enlisted on 10 December 1943. He received training at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri and Seymour Johnson Field in South Carolina before being sent to England in April 1944 as a cook's helper with the Ninth Air Force Service Command.

Following the D-Day Invasion, Pfc Christians Service Group and maintenance unit to which he was attached, transferred to France and into Belgium. He was reassigned to the infantry in February 1945 and was on a four man patrol when he was killed by an enemy mortar round.

Pfc Christians died of a shell fragment wound to the head and was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Breuna #1 on 18 April 1945. After being disinterred his remains were evacuated to Margraten where he was buried in a temporary grave on 26 July 1945. After being disinterred a second time and after the cemetery was given a permanent status, he was given his final resting place on 6 December 1948.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Familie Hensels Jadoul, www.wwiimemorial.com, IDPF

Photo source: Familie Hensels Jadoul, www.facebook.com