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name
RIFE, John Robert - Date of
birth
21 June 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Bexar County, Texas -
Hometown
Jackson County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-1177157 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
681st Glider Field Artillery Battalion,
17th Airborne Division
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 March 1945 - Place of
death
Northeast of Wesel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 11 | 10 |
Immediate family
-
Members
George J. Rife (father)
Ethel F. (Almond) Rife (mother)
Maxine Rife (sister)
Georgine A. (Roberts) Rife (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
unknown -
Data
unknown
More information
1st Lt John R. Rife grew up the son of a career Army officer thus lived at various bases throughout his life.He attended Kemper Military Academy with the class of 1937 and enlisted at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on 1 July 1941. He attended Field Artillery Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill with the Class 50-43. He first served with the 18th Field Artillery.
Glider #43-43128, in which he was a passenger, was shot in the left wing by 88 mm artillery fire just outside of the landing Zone, northeast of Wesel, Germany and all nine on board were killed.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 United States Federal Census - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / Texas Birth Index, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Tom Verheijden, Kemper Alumni Service Record in WWII