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762. Bluff Springs October Loss 10-4-1944 WWII

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Updated: Feb 27, 2022

US Army PFC Bernie Eugene Kimmons was born in Bluff Springs, Escambia County, Florida on March 17, 1918, the son of Jeremiah "Jerry" M. Kimmons (1875-1936) and Lillie V. Vanhoosen (1891-1952). His father supported his family in 1920 as a laborer in the sawmill at Creamer's Mill in Escambia County. Ten years later, the family was still at Creamer's Mill but his father had become a fisherman. Sadly, he would pass away prematurely in 1936. In 1940, Lillie was now a widow and working as a private laundress to support her children while Bernie was with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This was a voluntary public work relief program from 1933 to 1942 for unemployed, unmarried men who were between 18–25 years old. Luckily, Lillie owned her own home in Bluff Springs at the time, which was valued at $1,000.


With America fully involved in WWII, Bernie enlisted in the US Army and was assigned to the 17th Tank Battalion of the 7th Armored Division after basic training. As the invasion of Europe loomed on the horizon, Bernie's battalion was shipped to England in preparation. They were not involved in the initial landing on June 6, 1944, but did arrive on Omaha Beach on August 14. Upon arrival, they were assigned to General George Patton's Third Army where they participated in the Normandy breakout and crossed the Moselle River on September 15.


On September 25, Bernie's Division was transferred to the U.S. Ninth Army as they began their march to the Netherlands. Their mission was to protect the right flank of a corridor opened by Operation Market Garden in the southeast Netherlands. Their mission was to assist the forces in clearing the way so that the shipping lanes to the port of Antwerp could be opened to Allied shipping. On September 30, the Division attacked the heavily entrenched German forces north on the town of Overloon. The attack quickly bogged down into trench warfare as both sides slugged it out with casualties steadily mounting. And it was here that the regiment lost a number of tanks including Bernie Kimmons on October 4, 1944. The exact location of his death was just north of the ‘boot-shaped' woods, north of Overloon on the property of J.A. Hendriks, C167, or of G. Gerrits, C237.


His remains were turned over to the graves registration company and buried in a military cemetery. On December 18, 1947, he was reburied in the Soldier's Home National Cemetery, Washington, D.C. per the request of his next of kin.











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