Private Henry "Dutch" Kosechata , Comanche
US Army, World War II
Company A, 138th Engineer Combat Battalion
Died of Combat Wounds on May 1, 1945

PVT Kosechata was from the Walters area. he was drafted into the US Army on April 25, 1944 at Fort Sill. PVT Kosechata was in the Army one year and one week when he died - the was in Europe ended 8 days after his death. The 138th departed Boston Harbor aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam (which was a luxury ocean liner owned by Holland) on November 10, 1944 and arrived in Gourock, Scotland on November 17th. After intense training, at several locations in England, they arrived at LeHarve, France on March 3, 1945. They were based in several locations in France, Belgium and Holland before crossing the Rhine River into Germany on March 29th. Their primary mission was bridge/road construction and demolition removal (the Germans has set explosives on many of the bridges). The unit "after action" report for May 1st read "PVT Henry Kosechata, Co. A was killed by gunshots received while near Buckeburg on May 1, 1945." The unit history reads, "May 1 was a sad day for A Co, PVT Henry Kosechata died from wounds received near Buckeburg." According to his widow he was killed by a German sniper while laying communication lines. His widow visited his burial site in 1958 and said "It was a beautiful place." The photo of his marker below was taken by his widow. PVT Kosechata is buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Magraten, Netherlands. PVT Kosechata will forever be 30 years old (DOB January. 1915).