Robert J. NILAND
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| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 32200180 | ||||||
| AGE | 25 yo | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1919 Tonawanda Comté d'Erie NEW YORK | ||||||
| ETAT | Comté d'Erie NEW YORK | ||||||
| FAMILY | Parent: Michael C & Augusta Witzke NILAND | ||||||
| RANK | Sergeant | ||||||
| FONCTION | Infantry | ||||||
| JOB before ENLISTEMENT |  | ||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 7 novembre 1941 Fort Niagara, Youngstown NEW YORK | ||||||
| COMPANY | Company H | ||||||
| REGIMENT | 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| DIVISION | 82nd Airborne Division | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 6 juin 1944 |  | |||||
| STATUS | KIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | Neuville au Plain | ||||||
| CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Sainte Mère Eglise #2 N°3586
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| CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY de Colleville | ||||||
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| DECORATION |
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| HISTOIRE | |||||||
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The unit of Lieutenant Turner TURNBULL holds its position at Neuville au Plain.
Out of 41 men at the start there are only 14 left. The Germans were surrounded by the parachutists entrenched at Neuville au Plain. Under the enemy presentiment Lieutenant TURNBULL decides to fall back on St. Mother Church. For a faster withdrawal, it is decided to leave the wounded on the spot under the guard of a stretcher-bearer. Its mission is to prevent the German troops killing the wounded ... To cover the retreat of the paratroopers two men also remain, one is the Sergeant Robert J NILAND who will be killed soon after. Thanks to their action of these two paras the Lieutenant TURNBULL and his men were able to get out of the vice of the German troops and to join Mother Church. | |||||||
The NILAND Brother | |||
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| Edward | Preston | Robert | Frederick |
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Monument in Memory of the Brothers NILAND in Tonawanda By Illona | |||
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Homage of the Niland brothers to the Normandy American Cemetery of Colleville | |
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The NILAND Brothers and the Press | |
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The brothers NILAND were separated following the dramas of the brothers SULLIVAN. The US military has decided to separate the brothers serving in the same units to prevent a sibling from being defeated. This ship was torpedoed on November 13, 1942 during the battle of GUADALCANAL. 687 sailors including 5 brothers SULLIVAN died on board
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| INFORMATION SOURCE | Clive TIRLEMONT |
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| PICTURE SOURCE | ABMC - Frédéric LAVERNHE |
| PROGRAMMER | Frédéric & Renaud |