Herman Jr. Jacob T.

Herman Jr. Jocob T, born 09-09-1925, in Washabough County in South Dakota, USA, the son of Alice (Janice) and Jake Herman from Pine Ridge, SD. Herman had five brothers and sisters, Grace (died as a baby), Paul, Faith, Hope, and Rex. He began school in Kyle, transferring to Red Cloud. Lakota Times carried a story about his father Jake Sr. as one of the best rodeo clowns in the west.

His father enrolled as a student at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania after his parents died, worked on local farms, at Ford Motor Co., later returning to Pine Ridge, SD to marry and raise his family. Jacob’s father Jake Sr. died in 1969, and his mother Alice died in 1976.In 1943, the United States was involved in World War II and Private. Jacob T. Herman Jr., 18, of Pine Ridge, made his family proud when he became a member of the 82nd, Airborne,   under command of Brigadier. General. James Maurice “Slim Jim”. Gavin

505th Parachute Infantry, Company D.   under command of Lieutenant Colonel William “Bill” Ekman “Bill” survived the war andf died 31-05-1979, age 86 in Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington/D.C., United States.

One of the crossing survivors was Lieutenant Colonel Jim “Maggie” Megellas 

a regular visitor on his 1944 war fields, who commanded a platoon in Company “H” of the 3rd Battalion. James Megellas died 02-04-2020 at the age of 103 at his home in Texas. 

The casualities of the 82nd Airborne Division during their European campaign, Total casualities 9.073, killed in action 1.619, wounded in action 6.560, missing in action 279 and prisoner of war 615.

More than 40 years later, family was shocked when they received a letter from Groesbeck, Holland dated Aug. 12, 1986 in regards to Jacobs death during Operation Market Garden in Holland in September 1944.

Death and burial ground of Herman Jr. Jacob T.

Jacob was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division under the command of Brigadier General James Gavin, who confirmed that Herman was killed and buried, at first in a temporary U.S. cemetery at Molenboek, apporoximately five miles south of Nijmegen. Later, his body was transferred to south Holland for final interment in the Margrate, U.S., Cemetery. Section Plot F Row 4 Grave 22. Jacob’s headstone has a date of death as 22-09-1944, but family wonders if that is correct because on 19-09-1944, the biggest airborned invasion ever attempted now known as Operation Market Garden, began. Although the mission was deemed a failure, the 82nd Airborne was responsible for taking over the bridge at Waal River. Jacob was with Company D, as fierce battles raged on 1,432 U.S. servicemen that were killed in action.source; his brothers.

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