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Nobody deserves to be forgotten

Both 2019 and 2020 were remarkable years. During these years, people from all over the world commemorated and celebrated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The end of the war in the Netherlands came closer when U.S. soldiers crossed the border near the town of Mesch on September 12, 1944, which became the first town to be liberated. However, it would take until May 5, 1945 before the country was fully liberated. And that liberation came at a heavy price for those who fought for it. That is why we say thank you to our American liberators who have been buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in the town of Margraten. We pay tribute to them by decorating their graves and names on the Walls of the Missing with their personal photos. Join us in our quest for the missing faces and help to remember to those who sacrificed their all for our freedom.

 

New Milestone: Two-thirds of the soldiers in Margraten now have a face

The quest for photos of U.S. World War II soldiers who have found their final resting place in the Dutch town of Margraten has reached a new milestone. Since earlier this week, over 6,670 soldiers who have been buried or memorialized there now have a photo available. This means that two-thirds of all 10,012 soldiers now have a face. To mark the 75th anniversary of WWII, the photos will be on display next to their graves from May 2-6, 2020 during The Faces of Margraten.

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Maurice Gosney was the 6,672th soldiers of whom a photo has become available. Enlisting from Chicago, Maurice joined the 71st Infantry Division to fight in the war in Europe. A few weeks before the official end of the war, he was killed in action in the vicinity of the German town of Coburg on April 11, 1945. He only was 23 years old at the time of his death. It was his family who submitted a photo of him to the tribute.

Gosney’s family hopes to attend the tribute next year to honor their brother and uncle. “The visit to Margraten is a goal for my 83 year old mother and my aunt.  I told them both to get their sneakers on and to start training to walk more! We will be there!,” wrote Kristin Wright.

Both in the Netherlands and the United States, people use an interactive map to localize the still-missing photos. The map allows people to see where these soldiers came from. All across the U.S., Americans have begun to look for the missing photos. The tribute eventually hopes to put a face to 7,500 soldiers for the 75th anniversary.

Donate

Would you like to contribute to keeping the memory alive? By donating just 12.50 dollars, you will enable us to give a face to one soldier. You can directly donate 12.50 dollars via your credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below. Click here if you want to read more or donate another amount. Thank you for your support!

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