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name
HOFFMAN, Leonard John - Date of
birth
17 February 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Berks County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33368918 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
A Company,
1st Battalion,
117th Infantry Regiment,
30th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 September 1944 - Place of
death
In the vicinity Moelingen, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 11 | 51 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ammon F. Hoffman (father)
Mary E. (Reiser) Hoffman (mother)
Florence A. Hoffman (sister)
Mary E. Hoffman (sister)
Annie K. Hoffman (sister)
Claude F. Hoffman (brother)
Ammon A. Hoffman (brother)
Paul H. Hoffman (brother)
Ralph W. Hoffman (brother)
Mildred V. Hoffman (sister)
Richard I. Hoffman (brother)
Nora J. (Lyons) Hoffman (wife)
More information
Pfc Leonard J. Hoffman enlisted on 15 February 1943 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.Leonard J. Hoffman was the first American soldier killed in action during the liberation of The Netherlands. He had only just married his wife Nora J. Lyons 9 months before.
When A Company approached the border, they came under heavy fire from the German line at an intersection 800 meters south of the Dutch custom post. Captain Kent worked out an attack plan, in which the German line would be stormed from three sides at the same time. In that action, Lt Maloney reached the Dutch border post 35 with his light machine gun section, which formed the right wing. They were the first liberators on Dutch soil.
During this short but fierce battle, he was killed a few meters from this border post and so he literally gave his life for the freedom of the first village of The Netherlands to be liberated, being Mesch.
One memorial is located in front of a much larger memorial commemorating the liberation of The Netherlands in Mesch, municipality of Eijsden-Margraten.
He was killed in action near the place where the memorial cross is located in Moelingen, Belgium.
Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - WWII Draft Cards Young Men / 1930/1940 Census, www.findagrave.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet / Warren Derrick Deeds, Manuela Puts, Fedor de Vries