 Young American Patriots |
Remember...James Francis Burkhammer
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James Francis Burkhammer was born on December 17, 1926, to Howard and Hazel Burkhammer in Conings, Gilmer County, West Virginia. According to the 1930 Federal Census records, Mr. Burkhammer was a gas line inspector, and the family lived in the Troy District of Gilmer County. In 1940, the family still lived in Troy, and Mr. Burkhammer was a meter reader for the gas company. In the census, James's brothers were named Eugene and Junior, and it is not known if Junior was the Burkhammer's third son's given name.
James attended Troy High School before registering for the military. In military documents, his employment was depicted as a farmhand, but he was also said to be unemployed.
On December 16, 1943, just prior to his 18th birthday, James Burkhammer married Bernice E. Casto in Marietta, Ohio. On December 18, 1943, he registered for military service in Gilmer County, West Virginia. He enlisted on March 11, 1945, in Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky. The book Young American Patriots contains the highlights of James Burkhammer's service, stating that he served at Camp Fannin, Texas, and in France and Germany.
James was a private first class with the 386th Infantry Regiment, 97th Infantry Division, at the time that he died from wounds received in battle in the Netherlands.
The 97th Infantry Division website documents the path of the 97th during early 1945:
The 97th Infantry Division sailed from New York harbor after assembling at Camp Kilmer, N. J. The division sailed on several ships, but probably all sailed in the same convoy. Division Headquarters sailed on February 19, 1945 on the SS Brazil for Le Havre, France. They arrived at Camp Lucky Strike, a few miles from Le Havre on March 2nd. The above map shows the various routes and locations of the division. The legend above indicates the various division headquarter locations and their dates. On March 28th the Division left Lucky Strike; traveled through Belgium and a small corner of the Netherlands; and arrived in Germany. The division crossed the border at Aachen, the first German city captured by the American Army only a short time earlier. ("Route of the 97th Infantry Division," Welcome to the 97th Infantry Division-the Trident Division: Information, History, and Photographs about the 97th Division in World War II, site updated 11 September 2019, accessed 8 June 2020, http://www.97thdivision.com/routeof97th.html.)
The map is not included in this biography but can be accessed at the 97th Division website. It shows a route, as described, that took the division across the Netherlands. At a time during which enemy resistance "was beginning to disintegrate" ("The 97th Infantry Division during World War II," Welcome to the 97th Infantry Division-the Trident Division: Information, History, and Photographs about the 97th Division in World War II, site updated 11 September 2019, accessed 8 June 2020, https://www.97thdivision.com/historyp1.html) on April 14, James Burkhammer was seriously wounded on the battlefield. He survived the encounter and was admitted to a field hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries. On April 16, 1945, James Burkhammer died of his injuries.
| Pfc. Burkhammer was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten. He was awarded the Purple Heart. |
 Marker for Pfc. James F. Burkhammer in Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten. Find A Grave photo courtesy Desire Philippet |
Article prepared by Cynthia Mullens
August 2020
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.
