Memorial

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In Augst 1945, his company commander, Capt J.E. Veneklasen wrote the following to his parents: "John was in command of a machine gun squad in the line, and when I assigned his friend Sgt. (now Lt.) Malcolm Pierson to a mortar squad, I called John in to see if he wanted to be a reconnaissance sergeant. This meant that he would live in the company command post and work with the reconnaissance officer and me. He hesitated since he did not want to leave his squad, but decided to take the jo.

Then when the German offensive started December 16, we found ourselves hit on all sides, and pretty much surrounded, but we held our position. That night John stayed in the same foxhole with the first sergeant and myself, taking turns at watch.

On the 17th, things were no better, and John occasionally made the rounds of the gun positions, checking to see if all was well. On one trip he saw several Germans in the woods with men in American uniforms. Since the Germans had been using our uniforms to penetrate our lines, he decided to investigate, and dashed across the road. That is the last time we saw him.

John was a brilliant boy (the highest IQ in the company), fearless, and with a mature head, which gained him the respect of all the officers and men despite his youth."