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Personal info

Full name
SERSHA, John Paul
Date of birth
29 April 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Leoneth, St. Louis County, Minnesota
Hometown
St. Louis County, Minnesota

Military service

Service number
37580467
Rank
Private
Function
unknown
Unit
F Company,
2nd Battalion,
325th Glider Infantry Regiment,
82nd Airborne Division
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
27 September 1944
Place of death
Kiekberg Forest, Mook, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing
* This soldier has been accounted for. A rosette has been placed next to his name.

Immediate family

Members
Paul Sersha (father)
Angela (Prosenc) Sersha (mother)
Angeline Sersha (sister)
Mary F. Sersha (sister)

More information

Between 27 and 30 September, the 325th was involved in the Battle for Kiekberg Forest. The area was full of steep hills and valleys. Opposing the 325th was the German 190th Infantry Division which had infiltrated the forest and was building up in order to attack towards Nijmegen. Pvt Sersha was reported missing in action during the fighting in the Kiekberg Forest. His body was never recovered.

He is remembered at the Eveleth Cemetery in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

Richard A. Lohry, his nephew, provided the following additional information on 12 November 2014: 'Last November, I was contacted by Mr. Danny Keay in Germany. He is semi-retired from the army and is a military archaeologist. In going over X Files and also IDPF files he discovered that John’s remains may have been found in 1948. They are now buried in a numbered grave in Neuville, Belgium (Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial). I am currently trying to obtain an exhumation order for DNA analysis.
John’s brother Paul and I have submitted DNA samples to the military lab. I have copies of the files and it appears that the forensic evidence, and especially the circumstantial evidence warrants the exhumation order. If in fact a positive ID is made, the remains will be reburied with full military honors at any cemetery in the world. I am hoping that this takes place while his remaining older brother Paul, now 95, is still alive.'

In January 2016, the grave was disinterred and transported to the United States, where his remains could be indentified. He was buried next to his parents on Memorial Day 2016 with full military honors.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Arie-Jan van Hees, Nicole Sproncken