Richard Van Winkle
Date of Birth: November 26, 1923
Place of Birth: Ohio
Father and Mother’s Names: William A. and Margaret E. (Jacobs) Van Winkle
Date Entered Service: March 30, 1943 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Van Winkle had already been a member of the ROTC at K-State before formally enlisting.
Service Branch: Army
Service Number: 37519769
Rank: Technician 4th Grade
Division/Company/Unit info: Technician/crew member of a M5A1 Stuart Light Tank, Company D, 781st Tank Battalion, 100th Infantry Division.
Riley Connection: Enumerated: 1925 in Manhattan, Kansas while living at 812 Laramie St. Enumerated: 1930 Manhattan, Kansas while living at 1102 Thurston St. Enumerated: 1940 Manhattan, Kansas while living at 1110 Thurston St. Listed: 1942 Kansas State College Yearbook Listed: 1942-ROTC Co. C, Kansas State College Yearbook.
Date of Death (and Age): January 6, 1945 (age 21)
Place of Death: Succumbed to wounds while at the 57th Field Hospital in Hochfelden, France.
Grave Location: First buried in Niederbrown, France. Later reburied in the U.S. Military Cemetery in St. Avold, France. After the war he was brought home to Kansas and reinterred on April 18, 1949 at the Leavenworth National Cemetery.
Bio: Van Winkle died of fatal wounds received in the retaking of Stattmatten, France on January 6, 1945. He was a member of the 781st Tank Battalion, Company D and was attached to the 79th Infantries Division's 79th Cavalry Recon Troop, 1st Platoon. They surprised the Germans from the 553rd Volks-Grenadier Division.They were able to kill at least 60 of the enemy and capture 30+ including the battalion commander and his staff. He was wounded and died the next day at the 57th Field Hospital in Hochfelden, France. He was a T/4 in the 781st Tank Battalion of the U.S. Army. He was first buried in Niederbrown, France. Later reburied in the U.S. Military Cemetery in St. Avold, France. After the war ended he was brought home to Kansas. He was survived by his parents and brother, Phillip A. Van Winkle.
