Ernest L. HETKE

Source : hetke1984 (Ellen Marchese)

 Parents : Robert E & Florentina HETKE

Brothers : Arnold, Otter, Edmond & Oscar

Source : F Lavernhe

 CEMETERY TEMPORARY of 

Sainte Mère Eglise #2 N°3586

Story of Cemetery Temporary

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Ernest is the youngest of a family of five boys. Their parents Robert and Florentina are respectively of German-Polish and German origins. After college Ernest began to work very early in the family farm until committing in April 1942 in engineering.

Good guy of 1m 82 for 71kg it will thus be incorporated to the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment, unit specialized in sappe actions on amphibious operations.

He disembarked as a sergeant on June 6, 1944 on the beach of Utah, thus surviving the first days of combat of Overlord. He unfortunately died 4 days later due to the explosion of a mine.

Today a memorial panel was erected in his memory like his 43 other comrades of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade who died during the Normandy campaign,

It is located near the Utah Beach Landing Museum along the D329 at the junction of Angelo Thomas Chatas Alley.

Panneau commémoratif situé à Utah Beach au sud du musée. 

( source : https://www.kilroytrip.fr/memoriaux/hetke-road)

Headstone inscription and interment record du Sgt. Ernest L Hetke

(source : archives.gov)