Memorial

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Pvt Hansel D. Bumgarner enlisted on 1 April 1943 at Camp Croft, South Carolina and was sent overseas in August 1943.

The bottom picture shows his brother Maynard, visiting his brother's temporary grave at Margraten in 1946 or 1947.

Maynard served on destroyers in the Atlantic, conducting anti-sub operations. After the war and 4 years in the Navy, he joined the US Merchant Marines where he served another 36 years. His ship would often stop in Amsterdam to offload half of its cargo before going up the Rhine into Germany to deliver the rest.

He told me he had gone into a US Government office to ask for directions to the cemetery. The woman at the front desk informed him there was no such cemetery. He told her there certainly was and his brother was buried there. She again informed him he was mistaken.

My uncle went back out to his cab and climbed in grumbling away (to put it politely). The driver asked him if there was a problem. Maynard explained to him exactly what the problem was. The driver said “I know exactly where that is. I will take you”. The drive took a bit over 1-1/2 hours. I guess this picture was taken by the driver. When the driver asked who the man buried there was, my uncle answered “This is my brother”.

When they got back to the ship in port, Maynard asked the man how much for the fare. The driver refused to take payment saying “You have already paid enough”.