Robert Morneweck 101st Air-borne KIA



I am Arthur , Robert’s older brother by 3 years.In spring of 1944 he came to see me at Gettysburg College, where I was a Army Air Corp. Cadet. Little did I know this would be the last time I would see him. Robert was shorter than me (I am 5’ 10”) but was solidly built.. He was in high school R.O.T.C. and was so proud when he received his paratrooper wings.,the following is from a letter my family received from one of Robert’s buddy’s father

He (Robert) was smaller than the other parachutists we knew and did not appear to be as sturdy.The last Sunday the boys were all at our house ,he demonstrated,at least, that I was wrong about that.. Several of my sons Washingtons friends were also at the party., including one boy in the Navy who described one of their setting up exercises.It starts with a push up from the floor, done with a sufficient snap to throw the body into the air..While up there, the trick is to clap the hands and click the heels together quickly enough to catch yourself before you shove your nose through the carpet..TheNavy boy did it once, very badly but Robert was interested. “That looks like a good trick” he said. So he spread himself out on the floor and did the thing ten times. I thinkhe could have done more but I stopped him, having some idea that the house might fall down if I didn’t..I will include a letter he sent to our mother on Mother’s Day. And a letter his buddy sent also.

I am lost as to what happened to him. The letters he sent home got lost through years of time. I know he was wounded in Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. And was killed on a night action on Rhine River. I will post another post of where he is buried and the school teacher who takes care of his grave in Holland



Art long ago air man <papa@twmi.rr.com>

Art, this is very interesting to me as I am just now reading Koskimaki's book about the 101st at Bastogne - although sadly, there is no mention of your Brother's name.

The book makes you realize just what a really tough time the 101st had in that battle.

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Hi Art,

This is from the American Battle Monuments Commission site:

Robert E. Morneweck
Private First Class, U.S. Army
36956700
506th Parachute Infantry Regt, 101st Airborne Division
Entered the Service from: Michigan
Died: April 12, 1945
Buried at: Plot E Row 20 Grave 17
Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands
Awards: Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Art, I am building a website dedicated to all Allied servicemen either KIA in Holland or buried here. I have been to Margraten many times. The idea is that I end up with a page of each person with all information I can find on him.

Will sent you an e-mail about that...and answer the ones you've sent me... Haven't been back from holiday that long. Backlog of e-mails...

Your brother is mentioned in the 506th roll of honor in Rendezvous With Destiny. The book shortly mentions an cross river assault by A company 506 on the night of 11-12 April 1945, in which three paratroopers were killed. No names are given. If you want I can put that particular bit on line here. I have to get off the computer now.

Stevin

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Thank you for sharing your brother's story Art. The following two websites mention your brother:

Currahee Memorial: World War II - Currahees Killed in Action- Names beginning with M

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Roll of Honor M - O

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment: Roll of Honor website is linked to a site with some information regarding the Netherlands Cemetery at Margraten: US XVIII Airborne Corps: War Memorials - ETO; Netherlands Cemetery

[ 25. August 2003, 11:14 PM: Message edited by: Crapgame ]

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Hi Art,

This what Rendezvous With Destiny has to say about the raid your brother was KIA on:

At this time, the 101st was stationed on the west side of the Rhine, in the Ruhr area, just south of Dusseldorf. This was a time of relative quiet for the division.

"What fighting there was occurred when the patrols from the line regiments slipped across the river at night - the once-thought impregnable Rhine, now vulnerable to any squad with a boat- and bumped into stil dangerous defenders.

(...)Two patrols of company size crossed the Rhine during the campaign: these two raids furnished most of the action seen by the Division in the Ruhr.

(...)The other large raid of the campaign was carried out on the night of April 11-12 by Company A of the 506th. One Hundred twenty-six members of the company and four of the 321st Artillery Battalion crossed the Rhine in sixteen assualt boats just after midnight and attacked the river-bank village of Himmelgeist. They ran in to a scattering of small arms fire, killed two defenders, and eneterd the town. In Himmelgeist they captured seven civilians suspected of having taken part in the defense of the place and then withdrew, getting back to the far shore by 0415. The raid cost the company three killed and four wounded, mostly from small arms fire, though there was some flat-trajectory shelling during the withdrawal. Two boats capsized in midstream under enemy artillery fire and eight men were missing, believed
drowned."



(c) Rendezvous With Destiny - History of the 101st Airborne Division by Leonard Rapport & Arthur Norwood jr. Konecki & Konecki 2001, pg 709-710.

Also of interest might be the books of Donald R. Burgett. He was with A Company 506 PIR at the same time as your brother and he wrote several books:

- Seven Roads To Hell - a screaming eagle at Bastogne about the fighting at Bastogne, where your brother was wounded.

- Currahee - a screaming eagle in Normandy about his experiences in Normandy.

- The Road To Arnhem - a screaming eagle in Holland

- Beyond The Rhine - a screaming eagle in Germany

Hope this helps

Stevin

[ 26. August 2003, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

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