{"id":4345,"date":"2022-05-26T19:51:01","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T19:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vindustries.com\/racinehistory\/?page_id=4345"},"modified":"2022-06-15T09:54:43","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T09:54:43","slug":"kenneth-leroy-petersen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.vindustries.com\/racinehistory\/features\/kenneth-leroy-petersen\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenneth LeRoy Petersen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From Willem de Jong<\/a>: About USAAF Sgt. (Radio Operator) Kenneth LeRoy Petersen (\u2018Pete\u2019) \u2013 from Racine city, Wisconsin (USA) \u2013 killed 3rd Febr. 1945 in Holland
\u2013 We\u2019re doing research about 9 airmen of 334th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 95th \u2018Red Feather\u2019 Bomb Group (of 2nd A.D., 8th A.F. \u2018Eightballs\u2019), serving at US air station 119 Horham, in Suffolk (Britain), since Dec. 1944. This bomber team, flying in B-17F \u2018Flying Fortress\u2019 #42-102951 (call sign BG-\u2018Q\u2019), made a successful emergency landing in the North Sea, off Texel island, in the Netherlands (NW Europe), after their 3rd operational flight over Nazi-Germany, and while their \u2018ship\u2019 was hit \/ damaged earlier by German flak over Berlin city. At least 7 men of the 9 crew climbed as survivors (!) on the wings of the slowly sinking bomber; however, they all came under deadly gunfire of local stationed German navy soldiers (coastguards) in their \u2018Atlantikwall\u2019 defense line. One by one the US airmen were hit then, wounded of killed right away, slipping away in the cold waters of the North Sea, about 250 meters in front of the beach, nearby shore marker 26 km. (which nearby the \u2018Slufter\u2019 natural reserve area today). Later most dead bodies were found washed up at the island beach, after the first high tide; and those men were buried later in the General Cemetery of Den Burg village, on Texel island (the Netherlands). One of them was the Radio Operator of the airplane, 24 year old Kenneth LeRoy Petersen (nicknamed \u2018Pete\u2019 by the other members). He came from Racine city, on Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin (USA), lived ever at 1834 Blake Avenue (and earlier at Ward 15 ?). He was a graduate of William Horlick High School (June 1941) and later, till his enlistment etc., he was employed at \u2018Eisendrath Tanning Company\u2019, in Racine too. He was a son of Simon Petersen (1891-1951) and of Alma J. Petersen (1893-1988), and he was a brother of Lester S. Petersen (1912-1937) and of Virginia L. Petersen (1918-1999); most of them rests today in the Graceland Cemetery (Section 10) in Racine city. And last of all: \u2018Pete\u2019 was engaged to be married with a local woman, named Ann Parish.
\u2013 Today we\u2019re are looking for next of kin, descendants of his nearest family members ever, and as named before in this text, and\/or for local people, who are able to tell us more about him, maybe as a school boy, a sports club member, a \u2018swimming mate\u2019, or whatever. Because, maybe we can share (much more) information, images, etc., via email exchange.
\u2013 Please, if is known more about him via your address, let us know (!) We have collected many maps, pictures, images, texts, and even war diary fragments, all related to this story !
Regards, greetings from Friesland \/ NL, Willem de Jong (volunteer WW2 air combat research).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meanwhile I will send up some useful items \/ images already, related to that story and to ‘Pete’ in particular. Perhaps a little part can be added already somehow ? And in a similar message later on – in this same day – more of such collected ‘stuff’ is also following. And further, I give you a Youtube video link, for watching a short time movie with (general) island views and drone camera scenes, of Texel Isle, surrounded by waters of North Sea, ‘Marsdiep’, ‘Wadden Sea’ and ‘Eierlandse Gat’, laying on the NW coastline of Europe, thus about the spot, where ever the aircrew made its emergency landing, in which at least 7 men survived, till \u2026\u2026.. the dramatic shootings started ! Texel island \/ Holland – https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aOoP7wwXD48<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kenneth LeRoy Petersen, was engaged to be married to Ann Parish (of Racine likely)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Photo via ‘The Journal Times’ (of 20.08.1945)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Reburied in the Margraten War Cem. (Zuid-Limburg) grave H.6.3 – his enlistment portrait<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Similar info about his family, incl. himself, via another site, but via that 1940 census too<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Buried also on Wed. 7th Febr. 1945, in the Gen. Cem. of Den Burg (Texel island) gr. 173<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Buried first in Den Burg GC (Texel isle) gr. 1xx – such a German led, local military funeral<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Later reburied in Margraten War Cem. (Z-Limburg) gr. H.6.3 – gr. pict. (via ‘Find-A-Grave’)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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His teammates came from all over the US, from West to East, but most from the NE<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Their ‘belly landing’ was near beachmarker 26 km., N of the ‘Slufter’ area – Texel isle map<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Art impression of “Fortress” 2102951 on Texel<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Islanders of Texel who did forced work on beach obstacles<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

– More attachments indeed, images etc., and related to him as well; and renewed a Youtube video link, this time about the annual ‘Christmas Eve Candle Lighting’ ceremonies etc., every year in many cemeteries, gravesites and churchyards, all around in the Netherlands, on 24th of December, in the afternoon \/ early evening. But such a short movie about the ceremony in the Texel island cemetery (Den Burg village), I couldn’t trace alas, thus therefore you’ll find a similar ceremony in a nearby coastal cemetery with a large war graves plot: this is about Bergen Cemetery, on the mainland of Holland, close to Alkmaar city (and NW of Amsterdam).Bergen Cemetery \/ Xmas Candles – https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JxZ9UZXSync<\/a>
– By the way, the Netherlands American War Cemetery at Margraten village, in the Prov. of Zuid-Limburg (the Netherlands), and where ‘Pete’ was reburied later, in December 1945, and where he still rests now (in grave H.6.2), it has its own ceremonies and remembrance services, in relation to the USA calendar of course (and therefore not such a Xmas Candles ceremony, as far as known to us).<\/p>\n\n\n\n