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name
ALFONSO, Jafet - Date of
birth
14 May 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Santa Clara, Cuba -
Hometown
Manhattan, New York County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32002285 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
B Company,
1st Battalion,
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
20 September 1944 - Place of
death
Wyler, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Jose Alfonso (father)
Rose Alfonso (mother)
Rene Alfonso (brother)
Ocenia Alfonso (sister)
George Alfonso (brother)
Sauda Alfonso (sister)
Leon Alfonso (brother)
Rose Alfonso (sister)
More information
Jafet Alfonso was a machine operator before eh enlisted in the U.S. Army in New York City, New York on 17 January 1941.B Company established a defensive position and a road block at a main junction of Wyler. Pfc Jafet Alfonso was killed when their postions were shelled by artillery.
On 1 May 1950 a field investigation was conducted at Nijmegen with special emphasis toward investigating two cemeteries at Graafscheweg and Mariënbosch which were reported on previous field investigations to contain remains of unknown nationality. Through contact with cemetery superintendants, it was learned that there were no longer any remains of American deceased in the cemeteries and all "unknowns" had been identified as to nationality. The area wherein Pfc Alfonso was reported a casualty was also again searched but no isolated graves could be found. The conclusion of the search party was that Pfc Alfonso was killed as reported and his remains were reduced as a result of the shell explosion to a state which procludes recovery or identification.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, ABMC, National Archives, Special Forces, Find A Grave, www.ww2-airborne.us, Henk Bredewolt, IDPF, www.ancestry.com - World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Henk Bredewolt / Facebook