Alvin was the son of John Bernard 'Ben' Goertz and Catherine 'Katie' Bartsch.
Alvin's Grandparents, Johannes Moritz "John" Goertz and Anna Boer Goertz, and Joseph Bartsch were immigrants from Germany. Alvin was born and raised in a devout Catholic family.
Alvin enlisted in March of 1943. Alvin received training at Camp Chaffee near Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then he shipped out for Europe.
The following is from the Map Room at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, it better describes what happened.
ON 6 JUNE 1944, PRECEDED BY AIRBORNE UNITS AND COVERED BY NAVAL
AND AIR BOMBARDMENT, UNITED STATES AND BRITISH
COMMONWEALTH FORCES LANDED ON THE COAST OF NORMANDY.
PUSHING SOUTHWARD THEY ESTABLISHED A BEACHHEAD SOME 20 MILES
IN DEPTH. ON 25 JULY, IN THE WAKE OF A PARALYZING AIR
BOMBARDMENT, THE U.S. FIRST ARMY BROKE OUT OF THE BEACHHEAD
WEST OF ST. LO AND WAS JOINED ON 1 AUGUST BY THE U.S. THIRD ARMY.
TOGETHER THEY REPULSED A POWERFUL COUNTERATTACK TOWARDS
AVRANCHES. CRUSHED BETWEEN THE AMERICANS ON THE SOUTH AND
WEST AND THE BRITISH ON THE NORTH, AND ATTACKED CONTINUOUSLY
BY THE U.S. EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE,
THE ENEMY RETREATED ACROSS THE SEINE.
THE ALLIED GROUND AND AIR FORCES PURSUED VIGOROUSLY,
SUSTAINED BY THE HERCULEAN ACHIEVEMENTS OF ARMY AND NAVY
SUPPLY PERSONNEL. BY MID-SEPTEMBER BRITISH AND CANADIAN
TROOPS HAD ENTERED THE NETHERLANDS; THE U.S. FIRST ARMY HAD
REACHED THE GERMAN BORDER; THE U.S. NINTH ARMY HAD FREED
BREST; AND THE THIRD ARMY HAD REACHED THE MOSELLE IN FIRM
CONTACT WITH THE U.S. SEVENTH AND FRENCH FIRST ARMIES
ADVANCING NORTHWARDS SINCE 15 AUGUST FROM THE
MEDITERRANEAN. THE OPENING OF THE PORT OF ANTWERP ON 28
NOVEMBER MATERIALLY EASED THE LOGISTICAL BURDEN. METZ FELL
ON 22 NOVEMBER AS THE THIRD ARMY MOVED INTO THE SAAR. ON ITS
RIGHT, THE SEVENTH ARMY, AIDED BY THE FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE,
DROVE TO THE RHINE AT STRASBOURG, WHILE FRENCH FORCES FREED
MULHOUSE.
THE ENEMY LAUNCHED HIS FINAL MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON 16
DECEMBER IN THE ARDENNES. PROMPT TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES
AND THE SUPERB FIGHTING OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN
BROUGHT THIS EFFORT TO NAUGHT. A CONCURRENT OFFENSIVE
LAUNCHED BETWEEN SAARBRUCKEN AND COLMAR MET THE SAME FATE.
DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH THE WEST BANK OF THE RHINE WAS
CLEARED IN A SERIES OF SWIFT MANEUVERS. THEREUPON, IN RAPID
SUCCESSION, AMERICAN FORCES SEIZED A BRIDGE AT REMAGEN,
CROSSED THE RHINE AT OPPENHEM, THEN STAGED WITH THE BRITISH,
NORTH OF THE RUHR, THEIR MAJOR ASSAULT. SWEEPING ACROSS
GERMANY, THE ALLIES MET THE ADVANCING TROOPS OF THE U.S.S.R ON
THE ELBE TO FORCE THE COMPLETE SURRENDER OF THE ENEMY ON 8
MAY 1945, 337 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS IN FRANCE.
Alvin was Killed In Action in the first offensive on the beachhead at Normandy. That is to say the offensive began on 6 June, 1944, days and nights of relentless fighting. Alvin was killed on 13 July, 1944. This was the beginning of the series of manuvers put in place by the United States and it's allies that became known as "The Battle of the Bulge", which helped to ensure the end of the War in Europe.
There are 10,701 Soldiers interred here at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in
Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie Region, France.
**********************************
Alvin's Grandparents, Johannes Moritz "John" Goertz and Anna Boer Goertz, and Joseph Bartsch were immigrants from Germany. Alvin was born and raised in a devout Catholic family.
Alvin enlisted in March of 1943. Alvin received training at Camp Chaffee near Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then he shipped out for Europe.
The following is from the Map Room at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, it better describes what happened.
ON 6 JUNE 1944, PRECEDED BY AIRBORNE UNITS AND COVERED BY NAVAL
AND AIR BOMBARDMENT, UNITED STATES AND BRITISH
COMMONWEALTH FORCES LANDED ON THE COAST OF NORMANDY.
PUSHING SOUTHWARD THEY ESTABLISHED A BEACHHEAD SOME 20 MILES
IN DEPTH. ON 25 JULY, IN THE WAKE OF A PARALYZING AIR
BOMBARDMENT, THE U.S. FIRST ARMY BROKE OUT OF THE BEACHHEAD
WEST OF ST. LO AND WAS JOINED ON 1 AUGUST BY THE U.S. THIRD ARMY.
TOGETHER THEY REPULSED A POWERFUL COUNTERATTACK TOWARDS
AVRANCHES. CRUSHED BETWEEN THE AMERICANS ON THE SOUTH AND
WEST AND THE BRITISH ON THE NORTH, AND ATTACKED CONTINUOUSLY
BY THE U.S. EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE,
THE ENEMY RETREATED ACROSS THE SEINE.
THE ALLIED GROUND AND AIR FORCES PURSUED VIGOROUSLY,
SUSTAINED BY THE HERCULEAN ACHIEVEMENTS OF ARMY AND NAVY
SUPPLY PERSONNEL. BY MID-SEPTEMBER BRITISH AND CANADIAN
TROOPS HAD ENTERED THE NETHERLANDS; THE U.S. FIRST ARMY HAD
REACHED THE GERMAN BORDER; THE U.S. NINTH ARMY HAD FREED
BREST; AND THE THIRD ARMY HAD REACHED THE MOSELLE IN FIRM
CONTACT WITH THE U.S. SEVENTH AND FRENCH FIRST ARMIES
ADVANCING NORTHWARDS SINCE 15 AUGUST FROM THE
MEDITERRANEAN. THE OPENING OF THE PORT OF ANTWERP ON 28
NOVEMBER MATERIALLY EASED THE LOGISTICAL BURDEN. METZ FELL
ON 22 NOVEMBER AS THE THIRD ARMY MOVED INTO THE SAAR. ON ITS
RIGHT, THE SEVENTH ARMY, AIDED BY THE FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE,
DROVE TO THE RHINE AT STRASBOURG, WHILE FRENCH FORCES FREED
MULHOUSE.
THE ENEMY LAUNCHED HIS FINAL MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON 16
DECEMBER IN THE ARDENNES. PROMPT TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES
AND THE SUPERB FIGHTING OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN
BROUGHT THIS EFFORT TO NAUGHT. A CONCURRENT OFFENSIVE
LAUNCHED BETWEEN SAARBRUCKEN AND COLMAR MET THE SAME FATE.
DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH THE WEST BANK OF THE RHINE WAS
CLEARED IN A SERIES OF SWIFT MANEUVERS. THEREUPON, IN RAPID
SUCCESSION, AMERICAN FORCES SEIZED A BRIDGE AT REMAGEN,
CROSSED THE RHINE AT OPPENHEM, THEN STAGED WITH THE BRITISH,
NORTH OF THE RUHR, THEIR MAJOR ASSAULT. SWEEPING ACROSS
GERMANY, THE ALLIES MET THE ADVANCING TROOPS OF THE U.S.S.R ON
THE ELBE TO FORCE THE COMPLETE SURRENDER OF THE ENEMY ON 8
MAY 1945, 337 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS IN FRANCE.
Alvin was Killed In Action in the first offensive on the beachhead at Normandy. That is to say the offensive began on 6 June, 1944, days and nights of relentless fighting. Alvin was killed on 13 July, 1944. This was the beginning of the series of manuvers put in place by the United States and it's allies that became known as "The Battle of the Bulge", which helped to ensure the end of the War in Europe.
There are 10,701 Soldiers interred here at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in
Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie Region, France.
**********************************
Alvin was the son of John Bernard 'Ben' Goertz and Catherine 'Katie' Bartsch.
Alvin's Grandparents, Johannes Moritz "John" Goertz and Anna Boer Goertz, and Joseph Bartsch were immigrants from Germany. Alvin was born and raised in a devout Catholic family.
Alvin enlisted in March of 1943. Alvin received training at Camp Chaffee near Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then he shipped out for Europe.
The following is from the Map Room at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, it better describes what happened.
ON 6 JUNE 1944, PRECEDED BY AIRBORNE UNITS AND COVERED BY NAVAL
AND AIR BOMBARDMENT, UNITED STATES AND BRITISH
COMMONWEALTH FORCES LANDED ON THE COAST OF NORMANDY.
PUSHING SOUTHWARD THEY ESTABLISHED A BEACHHEAD SOME 20 MILES
IN DEPTH. ON 25 JULY, IN THE WAKE OF A PARALYZING AIR
BOMBARDMENT, THE U.S. FIRST ARMY BROKE OUT OF THE BEACHHEAD
WEST OF ST. LO AND WAS JOINED ON 1 AUGUST BY THE U.S. THIRD ARMY.
TOGETHER THEY REPULSED A POWERFUL COUNTERATTACK TOWARDS
AVRANCHES. CRUSHED BETWEEN THE AMERICANS ON THE SOUTH AND
WEST AND THE BRITISH ON THE NORTH, AND ATTACKED CONTINUOUSLY
BY THE U.S. EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE,
THE ENEMY RETREATED ACROSS THE SEINE.
THE ALLIED GROUND AND AIR FORCES PURSUED VIGOROUSLY,
SUSTAINED BY THE HERCULEAN ACHIEVEMENTS OF ARMY AND NAVY
SUPPLY PERSONNEL. BY MID-SEPTEMBER BRITISH AND CANADIAN
TROOPS HAD ENTERED THE NETHERLANDS; THE U.S. FIRST ARMY HAD
REACHED THE GERMAN BORDER; THE U.S. NINTH ARMY HAD FREED
BREST; AND THE THIRD ARMY HAD REACHED THE MOSELLE IN FIRM
CONTACT WITH THE U.S. SEVENTH AND FRENCH FIRST ARMIES
ADVANCING NORTHWARDS SINCE 15 AUGUST FROM THE
MEDITERRANEAN. THE OPENING OF THE PORT OF ANTWERP ON 28
NOVEMBER MATERIALLY EASED THE LOGISTICAL BURDEN. METZ FELL
ON 22 NOVEMBER AS THE THIRD ARMY MOVED INTO THE SAAR. ON ITS
RIGHT, THE SEVENTH ARMY, AIDED BY THE FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE,
DROVE TO THE RHINE AT STRASBOURG, WHILE FRENCH FORCES FREED
MULHOUSE.
THE ENEMY LAUNCHED HIS FINAL MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON 16
DECEMBER IN THE ARDENNES. PROMPT TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES
AND THE SUPERB FIGHTING OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN
BROUGHT THIS EFFORT TO NAUGHT. A CONCURRENT OFFENSIVE
LAUNCHED BETWEEN SAARBRUCKEN AND COLMAR MET THE SAME FATE.
DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH THE WEST BANK OF THE RHINE WAS
CLEARED IN A SERIES OF SWIFT MANEUVERS. THEREUPON, IN RAPID
SUCCESSION, AMERICAN FORCES SEIZED A BRIDGE AT REMAGEN,
CROSSED THE RHINE AT OPPENHEM, THEN STAGED WITH THE BRITISH,
NORTH OF THE RUHR, THEIR MAJOR ASSAULT. SWEEPING ACROSS
GERMANY, THE ALLIES MET THE ADVANCING TROOPS OF THE U.S.S.R ON
THE ELBE TO FORCE THE COMPLETE SURRENDER OF THE ENEMY ON 8
MAY 1945, 337 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS IN FRANCE.
Alvin was Killed In Action in the first offensive on the beachhead at Normandy. That is to say the offensive began on 6 June, 1944, days and nights of relentless fighting. Alvin was killed on 13 July, 1944. This was the beginning of the series of manuvers put in place by the United States and it's allies that became known as "The Battle of the Bulge", which helped to ensure the end of the War in Europe.
There are 10,701 Soldiers interred here at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in
Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie Region, France.
**********************************
Alvin's Grandparents, Johannes Moritz "John" Goertz and Anna Boer Goertz, and Joseph Bartsch were immigrants from Germany. Alvin was born and raised in a devout Catholic family.
Alvin enlisted in March of 1943. Alvin received training at Camp Chaffee near Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then he shipped out for Europe.
The following is from the Map Room at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, it better describes what happened.
ON 6 JUNE 1944, PRECEDED BY AIRBORNE UNITS AND COVERED BY NAVAL
AND AIR BOMBARDMENT, UNITED STATES AND BRITISH
COMMONWEALTH FORCES LANDED ON THE COAST OF NORMANDY.
PUSHING SOUTHWARD THEY ESTABLISHED A BEACHHEAD SOME 20 MILES
IN DEPTH. ON 25 JULY, IN THE WAKE OF A PARALYZING AIR
BOMBARDMENT, THE U.S. FIRST ARMY BROKE OUT OF THE BEACHHEAD
WEST OF ST. LO AND WAS JOINED ON 1 AUGUST BY THE U.S. THIRD ARMY.
TOGETHER THEY REPULSED A POWERFUL COUNTERATTACK TOWARDS
AVRANCHES. CRUSHED BETWEEN THE AMERICANS ON THE SOUTH AND
WEST AND THE BRITISH ON THE NORTH, AND ATTACKED CONTINUOUSLY
BY THE U.S. EIGHTH AND NINTH AIR FORCES AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE,
THE ENEMY RETREATED ACROSS THE SEINE.
THE ALLIED GROUND AND AIR FORCES PURSUED VIGOROUSLY,
SUSTAINED BY THE HERCULEAN ACHIEVEMENTS OF ARMY AND NAVY
SUPPLY PERSONNEL. BY MID-SEPTEMBER BRITISH AND CANADIAN
TROOPS HAD ENTERED THE NETHERLANDS; THE U.S. FIRST ARMY HAD
REACHED THE GERMAN BORDER; THE U.S. NINTH ARMY HAD FREED
BREST; AND THE THIRD ARMY HAD REACHED THE MOSELLE IN FIRM
CONTACT WITH THE U.S. SEVENTH AND FRENCH FIRST ARMIES
ADVANCING NORTHWARDS SINCE 15 AUGUST FROM THE
MEDITERRANEAN. THE OPENING OF THE PORT OF ANTWERP ON 28
NOVEMBER MATERIALLY EASED THE LOGISTICAL BURDEN. METZ FELL
ON 22 NOVEMBER AS THE THIRD ARMY MOVED INTO THE SAAR. ON ITS
RIGHT, THE SEVENTH ARMY, AIDED BY THE FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE,
DROVE TO THE RHINE AT STRASBOURG, WHILE FRENCH FORCES FREED
MULHOUSE.
THE ENEMY LAUNCHED HIS FINAL MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON 16
DECEMBER IN THE ARDENNES. PROMPT TACTICAL COUNTERMEASURES
AND THE SUPERB FIGHTING OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN
BROUGHT THIS EFFORT TO NAUGHT. A CONCURRENT OFFENSIVE
LAUNCHED BETWEEN SAARBRUCKEN AND COLMAR MET THE SAME FATE.
DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH THE WEST BANK OF THE RHINE WAS
CLEARED IN A SERIES OF SWIFT MANEUVERS. THEREUPON, IN RAPID
SUCCESSION, AMERICAN FORCES SEIZED A BRIDGE AT REMAGEN,
CROSSED THE RHINE AT OPPENHEM, THEN STAGED WITH THE BRITISH,
NORTH OF THE RUHR, THEIR MAJOR ASSAULT. SWEEPING ACROSS
GERMANY, THE ALLIES MET THE ADVANCING TROOPS OF THE U.S.S.R ON
THE ELBE TO FORCE THE COMPLETE SURRENDER OF THE ENEMY ON 8
MAY 1945, 337 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL LANDINGS IN FRANCE.
Alvin was Killed In Action in the first offensive on the beachhead at Normandy. That is to say the offensive began on 6 June, 1944, days and nights of relentless fighting. Alvin was killed on 13 July, 1944. This was the beginning of the series of manuvers put in place by the United States and it's allies that became known as "The Battle of the Bulge", which helped to ensure the end of the War in Europe.
There are 10,701 Soldiers interred here at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in
Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie Region, France.
**********************************
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Texas.
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