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name
VAN KLINKEN, Robert - Date of
birth
31 October 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Loomis, Okanogan County, Washington -
Hometown
Twisp, Kitsap County, Washington
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
39186454 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
E Company,
2nd Battalion,
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
101st Airborne Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Croix de Guerre
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
20 September 1944 - Place of
death
Nuenen, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 8 | 32 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Wolter Van Klinken (father)
Jacoba (van de Creek) Van Klinken (mother)
Susan W. Van Klinken (sister)
Gene Van Klinken (brother)
More information
Pfc Robert Van Klinken enlisted at Fort Lewis, Washington in August 1942. He received infantry training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and parachute qualification at Ford Benning, Georgia. He was sent to England in September 1943 and on 6 June 1944 parachuted into Normandy where he was reported wounded in action a few days later. He recovered in England and rejoined Easy Company to participate in Operation Market Garden on 17 September 1944.He was killed by machine gun fire when he ran forward with a bazooka to attack German tanks.
Pfc Van Klinken was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Zon, the Netherlands.
Source of information: FOHF, www.findagrave.com, www.ww2-airborne.us, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census
Photo source: C.T. Borg, Twan van Leeuwen