Memorial

More information

Katherine was a full-term baby, but after a few days, she developed problems drinking her milk. On 10 November 1945, at 2200 she was hospitalised at the 241st General Hospital in Paris, France. Despite all the good care, her condition deteriorated, and on 14 November 1945 at 0430 she died due to respiratory failure and was baptised by the catholic chaplain.

She was buried on 20 November 1945 at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Solers, France.

Up until May 1948, every available source had been tried to locate the next of kin without success. In July 1948, she was disinterred in Solers, transferred to Epinal Cemetery, France, and put in storage, waiting to be transferred to the US to be buried in the Post Section of Long Island National, as this was the normal routine for all infants interred in US WWII cemeteries overseas. However, in August 1948, an administrative decision was made to bury overseas permanently because she was only 18 days old at the time of death, and it was not considered wise to return remains to the US in view of no request from the next of kin.

In May 1949, Katherine was reburied at Epinal, France.

In July 1949, a new order came to transfer her to the US after all for burial in Long Island National Cemetery. In November 1949, Colonel Freeman, Chief Memorial Division, had gone over this entire problem personally and had approved the following action, directing the permanent burial in a permanent cemetery overseas. The request for the remains to be buried in Neuville, Belgium, was approved by Colonel Freeman and coordinated with the ABMC. On 8 May 1950, Katherine was buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery. 3.5 years after her death, she had her final resting place.