RANGERS Bolema, Peter Henry

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Bolema
  • FORENAME
Peter Henry
  • UNIT
2 Ranger Bn (Company A)
  • RANK
Private First Class
  • NUMBER
36412215
  • DATE OF DEATH
21st August 1944
  • AGE
22
  • GRAVESITE
Greenwood Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, USA
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Kent County, Michigan
born 05.10.1921, Muskegon, Michigan, USA
father Henry Bolema (1899-1974)
mother Jennie J. (nee Koster) Bolema (1900-2000)
4 years high school
1939 graduated Davis Tech High School
civil occupation Machinists apprentice
employed as Tool maker for General Motors
single without dependents upon enlistment
14.02.1942 draft card Grand Rapids, Michigan
27.11.1942 enlisted Kalamazoo, Michigan
KIA Le Folget, France
 

DATE OF DEATH:

21-Aug-1944

FINDAGRAVE:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130886779/peter-h.-bolema
Last edited by a moderator:
I am trying to find information on Peter H. Bolema. He was my mother's older brother but nobody ever talked about him.
Mary Casagrande
mary-casagrande@att,net
 
Mary, Peter was my grandfather's (Howard) brother. To my knowledge and what I've been told. He survived the invasion on Pointe Du Hoc and was killed in action during a hedgerow clearing mission in August. I'm sorry I can provide more information.
 
From Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black, "A platoon from Company A, 2d Rangers, was sent to take a group of Germans that were said to be giving up. The Germans ambushed the Rangers and killed an officer and three men."

edit found this your Grandfather is confirmed:
Meltzer led his men through an opening in a hedgerow into a field where the Germans were supposed to be waiting. The Germans were there but were crouched behind MG42 machine guns that opened fire on Meltzer and his men. LT Meltzer and 3 of his men PFC Seymour Goldman, PFC Peter Bolema and PFC Constantine Anagnos were killed by Ramcke’s paratroopers. The appearance of surrender was often an ambush when fighting Ramcke’s men, a number of whom would kill even while under the white flag.
LT Meltzer and his 3 men were listed as Missing In Action on 21 August 1944.
Source : https://wwiirangers.org/our-rangers/robert-meltzer/

Also added photograph to original record that i found from newspaper report.
 
Top