Commemorative Memorial Former War Grave Giethoorn

At the back of the centuries-old Protestant Church of Giethoorn, next to a wooden cross, hangs a photo frame containing, at first glance, snapshots of a cheerful, tough young man.

In the center of the collage, however, is a white burial cross bearing the name Frederick Charles Grambo and his death date 02-29-1944.

Lieutenant Colonel Grambo, born 11/18/1915 in Ohio, USA and married in 1939 to his high school sweetheart Doris Ellen Feltham, served as a pilot in the 364th Fighter Group (Headquarters) of the 8th Air Force USA, based in the county of Suffolk, Great Britain.

Already during its second flight, a mission orientation, his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft guns on 28-02-1944, which resulted in a damaged left engine, causing the aircraft to gradually lose altitude.

At approximately 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), the left engine caught fire and the right engine also failed, after which the aircraft crashed near the Walengracht, a canal in the vicinity of Giethoorn between Jonen and the Beulaker.

Grambo had tried to save himself with his parachute, but it got caught on the airplane tail and the aviator died a day later on February 29, 1944, he was buried on March 6, 1944 at the Protestant Church of Giethoorn.

Prior to the funeral, there was compelling interference from the Germans who under no circumstances wanted any tribute or any form of appreciation to be given and demanded from the local Reverend Jacobus Johannes Ket the full sermon in German for verification.

Despite the curfews, poverty that the war brought about, and the early time of the year, the local population made sure that the same night Grambo's grave was a true flowery splendor at dawn.

After the war, it was decided in consultation with the family that Frederick Charles Grambo would be buried with his fallen fellow countrymen at the American War Cemetery in Margraten, Limburg (Lot H Row 5 Grave 13).

Reverend Ket has been in contact with Grambo's family for many years and thus also learned that his son Frederick Charles "Ricky" Grambo died of drowning at the age of just 17, in Frankfurt, Germany.

As a thank you for the respect that was shown at the funeral service and taking care of his final resting place until the interment at Margraten, the Grambo family made a donation to the church community of Giethoorn for years.

Under the photo frame in the church a small hook is attached to the wall, every year during Remembrance Day a candlestick is hung on it in which a candle is burned for Frederick Charles Grambo, he has never been forgotten by the Protestant congregation of Giethoorn.

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Source

• Text: Herma de Vries
• Photos: Herma de Vries