Belgian woman cares for grave of U.S. World War II soldier
Last weekend, in a country more than 4,000 miles away, David Koons fulfilled what’s become a lifelong mission.
Koons’ story begins more than 70 years ago in Largo, Fla. His mother, Agnes Daniels Koons, was 17 at the time and had gone to see a drive-in movie with friends when one of her four brothers appeared in the dark and motioned her to come home.
The news wasn’t good.
Her brother, Elmer, had been killed in active duty when a sniper’s bullet ended his life in Cherbourg, France.
Tragically, six months later on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, another brother, Herbert, was killed by enemy mortar fire.
Herbert was 28, Elmer was just 22. Two other brothers who had been in active service returned home safely, but the loss of the two brothers dealt Agnes a devastating blow.
“It devastated her, understandably,” David Koons said. “It was something my mom and grandmother carried with them, but it was one of those things nobody really wanted to talk about so you got bits and pieces of it.”
What was known was that the brothers were buried together in the Henri Chappelle National Cemetery in Belgium and the family had copies of letters the boys had sent home from war, spiking Koons’ curiosity.
“I probably knew more about them than my mom did because I took the next step and read the letters they had sent home,” he said.
“A lot of the information was wrong, right or otherwise, but I wanted to get to the bottom of it and know what happened. Some of the information was right there in front of them, but it was a tough situation and something we didn’t really talk about as a family, so I think I took the most interest in it.”
What also was known was that the two brothers were posthumously awarded medals for their service and bravery.
The family had received the two Purple Heart medals given to Herbert and Elmer, but Elmer had also been awarded the Bronze Star and a number of other service medals, but there were some problems in getting them delivered.
First, due to the shortage of metals due to the war, quantities of bronze were scarce. Then, a fire in 1973 at the St. Louis National Personnel Records Center had destroyed approximately 80 percent of Army personnel records from 1912 to 1960, but Koons’ mom pushed for the medals to be sent home.
Agnes has since been stricken with Alzheimer’s and is in a Charlotte full-care facility, but in her final days of having full use of her memory, she pushed for the medals to be returned, contacting the U.S Department of War, senators, U.S. House representatives and anybody who would listen to her.
It paid off.
In 2008, a box arrived with all of the medals the family thinks they were owed – a great feat for the Koons family.
“The coolest thing that she did is she was so stubborn getting those medals,” David Koons said.
“I don’t know all of the details, but for about six months she spent time on the phone, went to a couple of representatives offices. She really pushed it and everyone was telling her that she wasn’t going to get them, but they showed up in the mail one day. I’m not sure if she’ll ever know how much my sisters and I admire her strength with her pursuit of the medals being a tribute to her stubbornness and love of her older brothers.”
Koons has most of the medals, although Agnes mistakenly gave away some of the service medals and two Purple Hearts. They remain missing and although Koons is searching for them and hopes to one day get them back, he is proud of the medals he has in his possession.
In addition to getting the medals, Agnes was able to visit the gravesite in 2006 on Memorial Day, paying tribute to her fallen older brothers. She learned there was a Belgian woman named Josephine Schyns who adopted the gravesite and had been placing flowers on the grave, a common practice at the national cemetery.
Agnes and Koons’ stepfather had also met a woman named Claudia Eickhoff, who had hosted them in her home. Eickhoff and the Koons’ have remained friends through the years. But in the 10 years since Agnes’ visit, no family member has visited the gravesite, though they remain tended to by Schyns.
On May 28, Koons boarded a plane and flew to Belgium for a ceremony that will feature a representative from the King of Belgium, the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, New Zealand Charge d’Affaire, a United Kingdom defense official for Belgium and Holland, U.S. military representative to NATO, three World War II veterans, local mayors, U.S. and the Belgian military band among many others.
Like his mother, he will be staying with Eickhoff, something that makes the journey even more meaningful.
“I’m looking forward to going over there,” Koons said. “For me it’s all kind of coming together. It’s a lot of stuff, it’s a long time that’s passed, but I’m looking forward to it.
“I want to go for my own personal curiosity, which is kind of selfish, but nobody has been there to visit the grave since my mom was there 10 years ago. We’ve only had one other family member that I know of that have went. They’ve had two visits in all of this time, so I guess I’m doing my part to represent the family.”
Koons said he wants to pay homage to his fallen uncles and to all World War II veterans. He said 10 years ago, there were over 200 veterans at the ceremony. This year, there will be three.
“We’re losing World War II veterans quickly and don’t have a lot of time left to honor them,” he said. “God bless my mother, her brothers and all who sacrificed their lives. It means a lot for me to be going to do my part.”
The story of the brothers still lacks details Koons continues to pursue. He had grown close to one of the brothers who returned from the war, but after his passing found out he had received a Silver Star and a Presidential Citation, something the uncle had never mentioned.
As Koons got ready to travel, he said he’s honored to be giving his thanks to all of the men and women who have served, and especially so on Memorial Day.
“All I have known of my uncles is a box of letters home, pictures and odd items from another time, yet or me this is an important journey,” he said.
“Not just to honor them and their sacrifice but for my mother and their brothers that survived the war. I knew two of them. They are now passed on (but to honor) what great men they were as well. For me, it’s unfinished business. I probably feel closer to them than anyone just from reading the letters. I got a lot of personal information about their lives and got to know them years later. To go and honor them is great.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Belgian woman cares for grave of U.S. World War II soldier."