Tioga County servicemen buried overseas

According to the ABMC website, the following Tioga County servicemen who served during World War II are buried overseas in American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries. 

Buried in Henri-Chappelle American Cemetery in Henri-Chappelle, Belgium are Albert F. Church of Nichols, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, he died on March 7, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster; and James M. LaDue, Private First Class, U.S. Army, 746th Tank Battalion, died Sept. 29, 1944 and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. 

Buried in Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, Netherlands are Richard A. Hoyt of Candor, Sergeant, U.S. Army, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, died April 13, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart; Walter R. Magee of Lounsberry, Private, U. S. Army, 1301st Engineer General Service Regiment, died April 16, 1945; Glenn A. Warner of Owego, Private First Class, U.S. Army, 246th Engineer Combat Battalion, died Feb. 23, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart; and Edward E. Whalen of Straits Corners, Private First Class, 634th Tank Destroyer Battalion, died March 27, 1945 and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Buried in Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avold, France is Raymond J. Oakes of Newark Valley, Private, U.S. Army’s 2nd Reinforcement Depot, died on May 8, 1946.

Buried in Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg are Robert C. Baker of Candor, Private, U.S. Army, died on Jan. 15, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart; Hugh R. Gardiner Jr. of Apalachin, Private, U.S. Army, died on March 21, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart; William E. Harding, Private, U. S. Army. 319 Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division, died on Feb. 23, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart; and Richard Warner, Private First Class, U. S. Army, 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, died on March 12, 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.

Buried in Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupre, Belgium is Robert R. Zimmer of Spencer, Private First Class, U. S. Army, 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, died on Dec. 5, 1944 and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters.

Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England is John E. Wright of Nichols, Flight Officer U.S. Army Air Forces, 89th Squadron, 438 Troop Carrier Group, died on Oct. 25, 1944 and was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

Buried in Punchbowl, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii is Francis Leo McTamney of Owego, Aviation Radioman, Second Class, U.S. Navy, died on April 30, 1945 and was awarded the Air Medal. 

Buried in the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii is Donald Lester Short of Owego, Private First Class, United States Marine Corps, who died on Feb. 7, 1944 and is declared Missing in Action or Buried at Sea.

Buried in Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Republic of the Philippines is Henry L. Meddaugh of Owego, Private First Class, U.S. Army, died on June 4, 1942, Bataan Death March.

In Denmark at a Memorial Erected by Danish Naval Veterans is John Richmond Vlymen of Waverly, 2nd Lt. U. S. Air Force, who died on April 9, 1944, B-17 Bomber Shot Down Over Danish Island Falster.

Colonel H. W. Gram of Denmark reports that after a bombing mission on an aircraft factory in Poznan, Poland on April 9, 1944, German Ju 88 fighters shot down the B-17 Bomber east of the Danish Island Falster off Boto Beach.

There were no survivors. Crew had earlier survived between 17 and 27 missions.

John Richmond Vlymen was washed ashore Bata Beach on Aug. 1, 1944, and near a small costal lake used for washing sheep.

He was buried in the Nykebing Falster Churchyard on Aug. 2, and at 5 a.m. by eight German soldiers to avoid Danish sympathizers.

The local Catholic vicar officiated at his funeral. The sexton, R. Larsen, attended the ceremony. Grave; lItra C. Square 6, Grave 25.

It is believed that the owner of the area where Vlymen was found tended the grave throughout the remaining part of the occupation.

After the war, Danish Naval Veterans erected a monument.

John R. Vlymen was one of five USAAF members to remain buried in Denmark. In 1948, 127 USAAF members were exhumed; some were brought to Belgium and the rest repatriated to the United States. 

Delmar Dale Sibley, Seaman First Class, remains with the Battleship USS Arizona. He died on Dec. 7, 1941, and was Owego and Tioga County’s first fallen WWII hero.