It started out a bit sadly, but ended so heartwarmingly!  A viewer of our 398th web site asks for information about a genuine bit of 398th memorabilia that he now has in his procession. This circumstance has happened to me before about - 398th material is now often for sale on the Internet.  In this case it is a framed picture board concerning Dalton Ebbeson and Ole Blood N Guts, familiar names to many of us.

The new owner of the plaque and I had friendly e-mail exchanges.  I helped with more information about Ebbeson and he told me that he visits the nearby American Battleground Military Cemetery (ABMC) at Margarten near his home in Holland.  Now we let him tell his story.
 

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Now I shall introduce myself to you all. I am Sebastiaan Voskuil, from The Netherlands. I am 20 years old and I am studying Life Sciences in school.

My main interest is the events of WWII. Ever since my grandfather told me about his days as an officer in the Dutch army (after WWII) and about things he went through during the WWII war years, my interest in WWII has grown. First, I only read about the war but later on I started to collect items from the war. My first items where things my grandfather picked up during the war. That was about six or seven years ago. Now my collection has grown a lot.

But how did I start to have interest in the 398th BG? Last year I bought an artwork about the 398th BG. After some investigation I found out the former owner of this memorabilia was 1st Lt and 398th Bombardier E.D. Ebbeson (Hyndman's Crew - 603rd Squadron ). Then I found out lots of things about this man with help of the 398th web page and Wallace Blackwell sent me copies of information he had of Ebbeson’s war diary. After that I made a plan to visit Margraten Cemetery, because I had adopted a grave of Leonard W. Hart (8th Infantry Division) there. Then the idea came to my mind to honour all the man of the 398th Bomb Group who is buried there. This was my special interest in the 398th Bomb Group. I did some research and learned that there were nine (9) graves and six (6) names on the Wall of the Missing at Margraten, all from the 398th Bomb Group

I went to Margraten on January 12, 2006 and I laid flowers by all the 398th graves and names on the wall. I made pictures of each grave site. I also send a picture of Margraten and of me. I am between the graves of Vernon D. Anderson and Arthur P. Schmidt. See Below.

This was to honour those brave 398th men missing in action (MIA) or killed in action (KIA) in WWII that are now and forever buried in The Netherlands.

I found the names of fifteen (15) 398th members there.
 
Here are their names:

1. 1st Lt. Kenneth S. Hastings, 603rd, 21 Nov 1944
   Plot F Row 8 Grave 26
   
   
2. S/Sgt. Sherman  S. Klein, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
   Plot F Row 17 Grave 3
   
   
3. S/Sgt. Marion B. Hamilton, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
   Plot I Row 15 Grave 14
   
   
4. S/Sgt. Anthony N. Perry, 603rd, 2 Nov 1944
   Plot O Row 12 Grave 3
   
   
5. T/Sgt. Bill Wickens, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
   Plot O Row 22 Grave 15
   
   
6. 2nd Lt. William M. Bryan, 603rd, 21 Nov 1944
   Plot P Row 15 Grave 14
   
   
7. 1st. Lt. Robert G. Campbell, 601st, 2 Nov 1944
   Plot L Row 20 Grave 12
   
   
8. S/Sgt. Arthur P. Schmidt, 601st, 26 Nov 1944
   Plot H Row 16 Grave 5
   
   
9. 2nd Lt. Vernon D. Anderson, 601st, 26 Nov 1944
   Plot H Row 16 Grave 6
    
   

Tablets of the Missing

1. T/Sgt. Anthony G. Buddes, 603rd, 15 Mar 1945
2. 2nd Lt. Ernest F. Engeman, 603rd, 4 Aug 1944
3. S/Sgt. John E. Furrow, Jr., 603rd, 1 Jan 1945
4. S/Sgt. Frank Iaconis, 601st, 26 Nov 1944
5. S/Sgt. Wallace E. Kasch, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
6. T/Sgt. George T. Roby, 602nd, 28 Oct 1944

By Sebastiaan Voskuil
February 2006

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Epilogue
A bit of epilogue - I am so proud of Sebas and that I shared this experience with him. His story is surely well worth documenting.  I would hope we could have more of these kinds of heart warming events reported. 
 
It is wondeful to know that Sebas is nearby and with our 398ers that are still "over there" and tend to be forgotten. I am sure that Sebas would like to hear from any of you that are touched by his precious act.
 
Submitted by Wally Blackwell, 601 Squadron
President 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association

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Links of Interest

1. American Battle Monuments Commission - Margraten Cemetery
2. 398th Killed in Combat Missions
3. Anstey Window Mapping
4. Additional thoughts or comments can be sent to our Comment Coordinator.

Margraten Cemetery - 12 January 2006

2nd Lt. Ernest F. Engeman, 603rd, 4 Aug 1944

T/Sgt. George T. Roby, 602nd, 28 Oct 1944

1st. Lt. Robert G. Campbell, 601st, 2 Nov 1944
Plot L Row 20 Grave 12

S/Sgt. Anthony N. Perry, 603rd, 2 Nov 1944
Plot O Row 12 Grave 3

1st Lt. Kenneth S. Hastings, 603rd, 21 Nov 1944
Plot F Row 8 Grave 26

2nd Lt. William M. Bryan, 603rd, 21 Nov 1944
Plot P Row 15 Grave 14

S/Sgt. Arthur P. Schmidt, 601st, 26 Nov 1944
Plot H Row 16 Grave 5

2nd Lt. Vernon D. Anderson, 601st, 26 Nov 1944
Plot H Row 16 Grave 6

S/Sgt. Frank Iaconis, 601st, 26 Nov 1944

S/Sgt. John E. Furrow, Jr., 603rd, 1 Jan 1945

T/Sgt. Anthony G. Buddes, 603rd, 15 Mar 1945

S/Sgt. Marion B. Hamilton, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
Plot I Row 15 Grave 14

S/Sgt. Wallace E. Kasch, 600th, 8 Apr 1945

S/Sgt. Sherman  S. Klein, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
Plot F Row 17 Grave 3

T/Sgt. Bill Wickens, 600th, 8 Apr 1945
Plot O Row 22 Grave 15

Sebastiaan Voskuil at Margraten - 12 January 2006

Sebastiaan Voskuil between the graves of Vernon D. Anderson and Arthur P. Schmidt. All photos in this collection were by Sebastiaan Voskuil.