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name
OPFER, Carl G - Date of
birth
20 October 1924 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio -
Hometown
Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
35550126 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
Rifleman -
Unit
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
1 March 1946 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Drzewica, Poland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
George H. Opfer (father)
Garnett L. (Lease) Opfer (mother)
Carrie E. Opfer (sister)
Eva J. Opfer (sister)
Helen (Derr) Opfer (sister)
More information
Pfc Carl G. Opfer enlisted at Camp Perry, Ohio on 16 March 1943 and after infantry training, he volunteered for the paratroopers and completed jump school, probably at Fort Benning, Georgia.After arrival in the UK, he was assigned to HQ Company of the 82nd Airborne Division. On 23 July 1944 he was transferred to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment which was rebuilding its strength after 33 days of combat in France.
Pfc Opfer was with the regiment when it jumped into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden on 17 September 1944. An apparently false report on 30 September indicates that he was slightly wounded and transferred to an unknown field hospital. But in fact, he was never seen again and was taken prisoner on 17 September.
Information reveals that the German guards forced the American and Russian Prisoners of War to leave Stalag III-C near the village of Drzewica, Poland on 31 January 1945. They had marched only a short distance when they were caught between Russian and German cross fire and were killed by gunfire from Russian tanks.
He was officially declared dead one day and one year after the assumed date of his death.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 / Ohio, Birth Index 1908-1964 / Crews Family Tree, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment “Red Devils” Unit History, http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/508/508.html, http://www.508pir.org/, http://www.7tharmddiv.org - IDPF Aloysious Mc Lean
Photo source: www.wwiimemorial.com, Peter Schouteten