Docents Corner

Spring, 2004

From Our Research Department

A recent inquiry to the Research Department of the 390th BG provided information that I’m sure very few of our Veterans and their descendents are aware of. The inquiry was from a Dutch gentleman by the name of Jan van Hattum. He is the volunteer caretaker of two gravesites, one from the 8th Army Air Force, 390th BG and one from the 322 BG, B-26 (M), located at the American Military Cemetery in the Netherlands. The cemetery is near the village of Margraten and holds the remains of approximately 8,500 American soldiers. The name on the grave marker for the 390th BG airman is T/Sgt. Marion D. Wolfe. Mr. van Hattum wrote asking for information regarding this airman.

He wrote that after WWII, Dutch families volunteered to care for these American gravesites, in perpetuity, the duty is handed down through the family. His Uncle, at the time, volunteered to care for the two sites. His Uncle recently died and Jan van Huttum was contacted by a member of the American Cemetery Margraten Foundation to see if he would carry on his Uncle’s commitment to care for two gravesites. Jan van Huttum readily agreed to carry on and he wrote to us (his story is on the Guestbook page of our Web Page dated July 25, 2005.) and asked for information regarding T/Sgt Marion D. Wolfe.

Mr. Jan van Huttum wanted to know the birthday of T/Sgt Wolfe so that he could place flowers at his gravesite on that day. He also wanted to know if there are any family members of T/Sgt Wolfe’s family available so he could notify them of what he is doing. Unfortunately, we were unable to find anyone from T/Sgt Wolfe’s family. He was from a small town in Tiffin, Ohio. I called several Wolfe families listed there, but none knew of a T/Sgt Marion D. Wolfe.

Mr. Huttum also cares for the gravesite next to T/Sgt Wolfe’s. Coincidently, the name at the second site is Richard O. Wolfe, of the 322 Bombardment Group (M).

We have no information on Richard O. Wolfe, KIA May 17, 1943.

We here at the 390th BG Memorial Museum were unaware of this kindness displayed by the Dutch people, and felt sure that any 390th BG member who knew of former crewmen buried at the American Military Cemetery in Netherlands would like to know that through the years the Dutch people have not forgotten those brave young airmen.

If anyone knows anything about these two men, please advise the Research Department of the 390th, so that we can inform Jan van Huttum.

Carolyn Beaubien
Research Volunteer

Research Department Reviews Guestbook

Our research department diligently reviews all of our web site Guest Book entries and receives considerable satisfaction when we can be of service to the requester.

We will review informational resources available to us, in order to provide as much as possible about the individual to our requester. The package of information provided may contain the following: the subject individuals combat record, number of missions flown including destination, aircraft flown on missions, fellow crew members, names and addresses of surviving crew members, medals awarded, brief synopsis of MACR (missing air crew report) if applicable, brief history of the 390th Bombardment Group, and pictures of the crew and aircraft if available.

We give priority in support of our veterans and museum members. Many of the requests though come from newly discovered potential friends that we encourage membership and/or donations from.

Eugene Radtke
Research Volunteer

Questions asked by Museum visitors:

Some time ago a gentleman with his family entered the hanger and I asked him if he had any questions. He said yes I do:

“Is this plane a bomber or a fighter?”

A similar incident occurred more recently. Again, a man with his family approached me and in all seriousness asked me:

“What are all the guns used for’?”

I explained to the man that the B-17 was an offensive weapon but it also had to defend itself. He said:

“You mean to tell me the people actually fired those guns at other aircraft? Did they ever hit anything?”

I explained the facts to him as gently as I could.

“Where is the toilet compartment in this plane?”

Submitted by: Richard Beaubien
Docent