Gerard_K_Duncan

Tec5. Gerard K. Duncan

Army Serial number: 20152748

Unit: 643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, C. Company.

Born: 23-Nov-1918 Place: East Providence, Rhode Island.

Died: 9-Jan-1945 Place: Reharmont (Belgium)

Date of final Burial: 5-Dec-1947 at: American Military Cemetery Henri Chapelle (Belgium)

Location: Plot: B. Row: 2. Grave: 7.

Father: James Duncan †

Mother: Frances E. Duncan †

Last known address: Old Barrington Road, Postofficebox #26 East Providence, Rhode Island.

Sisters: Francis C. Almira L. Marry W. Grace M.

Brothers: James J. Archie G. George S.

Onderstaande mail gestuurd naar American Cemetery Henri Chapelle, België.

Dear Readers,

A few years ago a adopted a grave at Margraten Cemetery.... It belongs to Michael Defebio he was a Sergeant, and he served at 643^rd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

At HC cemetery there are 5 men buried that served at the same Battalion…as Michael Defebio.

I want to adopted 1 of these 5 graves if they are not adopted already…. My special interest goes to Gerard K. Duncan graves because he’s just like Michael from Rhode Island.

New York	ANTHONY DE FOSTER J.	TEC5	32038173	24 dec 1944	G	3	67
Rhode Island	GERARD DUNCAN K.	TEC5	20152748	9 jan 1945	B	2	7
Massachusetts	HENRY GENDRON L.	PVT	31073567	23 Dec 1944	A	3	5
Connecticut	JOSEPH GIORDANO S.	SGT	20133245	24 Dec 1944	H	15	62
Louisiana	CHARLES NINI M.	TEC5	34150263	14 Jan 1945	F	8	63

Greetings, and thanks already……

Ben Savelkoul

Minghof 13

6367BL Voerendaal

The Netherlands.

31-12-2007

Goed nieuws vanuit Henri Chapelle, voorkeur graf was nog niet geadopteerd! en is nu aan mij toegewezen.

Dear Ben Savelkoul,

Your adoption for Gerard K. Duncan's grave has been granted. A certificate of adoption will be available at the office for you from 14 January 2008. We ask that you come and pick up your certificate by the end of the month of January. Thank you for your understanding.

In the name of the team of Henri-Chapelle I wish you a very happy new year.

Caroline Oliver

Cemetery Associate

Tel:+32 (0)87 68 71 73

Fax: +32 (0)87 68 67 17

Vandaag ben ik mijn Certificaat gaan ophalen, en uiteraard weer verschillende foto's gemaakt, ook heb ik alle graven van de mannen van het 643rd TD BN bezocht en foto's van genomen voor op mijn website.

Standaard brief ingevuld en naar onderstaand adres gestuurd voor het verkrijgen van de Individual Deceased Personnel File.

IDPF van Gerard bevatte niet echt veel info?.....Maar toch nog enkele interessante gegevens kunnen vinden... zoals geboortedatum van Gerard en adresgegevens van ouders.

Vandaag foto's van John DeFusco ontvangen van Gerard Duncan's naam op de muur van het WWII Memorial in Providence, Rhode Island.

Today I received several newsletters from Joe Decaro. "Article from Newsletter 643^rd Tank Destroyer Battalion May 31, 2000."

Bill Guether, sent this account of his memory of events that led up to the death of Carlton Shaffer and Gerard Duncan.

“As we rode in that open field, Shaffer and I thought we would be safe if we walked. Shaffer said I have a feeling I’m going to die. No sooner we got out of the halftrack we walked side by side. Just then the German tank hit our gun. Schaffer got hit and died. I was not hurt. I ran back into the woods. Ahead of me was a bunker. As I ran toward the bunker, tanks were shooting at me coming very close to hitting me. They must seen me heading for the bunker. The next thing I found myself inside. I don’t know how I got in. I think someone is looking after me. Inside was a lot of smoke. No sooner I got inside I got tree burst. The tree burst should have killed me, but it didn’t. When the tree burst stopped I walked back to the halftrack . Gerald Duncan’s body was next to Schaffer on the ground. They other men were o.k. They died at Reharmont Belgium on January 9, 1945”