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name
BLAIR, Erwin Henry - Date of
birth
1 February 1923 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Wadena County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Wadena County, Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37550195 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
Light Machine Gunner -
Unit
393rd Infantry Regiment,
99th Infantry Division,
3rd Squad
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
17 December 1944 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Krinkelt, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | 54 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Giles E. Blair (father)
Clara L. (Hunkey) Blair (mother)
Giles E. Blair (brother)
Herbert G. Blair (brother)
William E. Blair (brother)
Jean A. Blair (sister)
Elizabeth L. Blair (sister)
Giles E. Blair (brother)
Gordon G. Blair (brother)
Gladys L. Blair (sister)
More information
Pfc Blair's death is recorded by John Rarick, a fellow member of the Division taken prisoner of war: “After traveling about 200 yards we came to the command post where Lt. Harry Nowlin and Sgt. Gilliam of the 3rd squad were dug in or built up. They were all alive but captured. Their only casualty was my close friend, Erwin 'Buddy' Blair of Wadena MN.Pfc Blair, a BAR man, had been ordered by Lt. Nowlin to surrender but refused and continued firing. The Germans had leveled his position with potato mashers or hand grenades, killing Blair and seriously wounding his assistant, Tish Hebert.”
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil
Photo source: www.ancestry.com, www.findagrave.com, Des Philippet