War Memorial Zwaagwesteinde

The monument was erected in memory of sixteen citizens , who during the Second World War or during the Indonesian Independence War (1945-1950) in the former Dutch East Indies were killed and a U.S. soldier who was killed in the village .

The names of the sixteen victims are:
Broer Adema, Jan Boorsma, Lippe Boskma, Janke Boskma-Nicolai, Haize Bosma, Harm Brouwer, Hendrik Dijkstra, Jilt Elzinga, Balling H. Heidstra, Romke Hekstra, IJbele Hoekstra, Hendrik Koster, Pieter van de Meer, Harke van der Meulen, Andries Postma en Rinse Pieter Veenstra.

U.S. airman Milton C. Spangenberg on December 11, 1943 died in the Westereen. After the bombing of the German city of Emden American B17 ( serial number 230 218 ) of the 335th Bomb Squadron , 95th Bomb Group ( H ) of the airbase Horsham in England, was tipsy . The plane crashed near the seawall under Ferwerd . There were three crew members killed , namely: J.E. Gallo, A.E. Kemp and A. Pereira . The seven crew members were able to leave the aircraft. Timely with a parachute Spangenberg and two colleagues had jumped near Zwaagwesteinde from the unit. But the parachute of Spangenberg did not open and he still died . The other two soldiers do survive the jump, but were taken prisoner on the ground. Spangenberg was buried in Zwaagwesteinde. On November 8, 1945, he was reburied in the American Field of Honor Margraten. Spangenberg took in the year 1949 his final resting place in the United States .

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Bert Deelman
• Photos: Bert Deelman
• Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei