William Heister Dukeman Jr. was a paratrooper who served in Easy Company 506th Paratrooper Infantry Regiment and the 101st Airborne Division. He was close friends with John Martin, Frank Perconte, Albert Blithe and Everett Gray. He was played by actor Mark Lawarance in the mini-series Band of Brothers.
Youth
William Heister Dukeman Jr. was born in Strasberg, Colorado on the Living Springs Ranch on 2 September 1921. His father was William Heister Dukeman Sr. and his mother was Gertrude Nordow. He had three brothers Harry, Charles and Clem. He also had one sister, Mildred. He was given the pet name 'Bud' to distinguish him from his father William Sr. His mother said he was born in 1922 instead of 1921.
Bud went to school in Strasburg until he moved with his family to Keenesburg, Colorado, in 1929. He graduated from high school in 1929. After he graduated, he travelled with Everett Gray and two friends to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they found work. He and Gray decided they would earn more if they joined the army. This they did and enlisted in the Airborne Division.
World War II
He trained at Camp Taccoa under Captain Sobel. There he became good friends with John Martin, Frank Perconte and Albert Blithe. After training as a paratrooper, by completing at practice jumps, he and the others were sent to Camp Mackall to complete basic training. They were sent abroad to a training camp in Aldbourne, England. Here they received more basic training. William Dukeman was dropped on D-Day and became separated from Easy Company. He was wounded on his chin when he was hit by enemy fire. He took part in the battle of Caretan. During this battle, Easy Company took the village. He also took part in the "battle at Bloody Gulch", which he survived. Dukeman later took part in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands and he also took part in the battle for Nunen.
During a night patrol near a cruising area in the Netherlands, Dukeman was killed by a group of Germans in a culvert under the dyke road. A rifle grenade was fired at him. The next day, Easy Company defeated two German SS companies at that spot.
He is buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot G, Row 2, Grave 11, Margraten, Netherlands.
He is buried at Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands.
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