Investigations

Information on fallen liberators

For people adopting graves, it can be very interesting to launch a search for information about the fallen soldier whose grave they have adopted. What did he do, where did he live, and how did he die? Answers are sought for these questions and undoubtedly many more. The Foundation is also frequently approached with such questions, which makes it relevant to briefly discuss the matter.
First we should note that:
1. Neither the Foundation nor the employees of the American Cemetery have information on the addresses of families of fallen soldiers. It therefore makes no sense to contact the Foundation or the American Cemetery in this regard.
2. The goal of adopting a grave is to visit and give attention to the grave of a fallen liberator.
3. Personal information, which includes information about family and/or surviving relatives of fallen liberators, is protected in the US by the Privacy Act.

In spite of the protection given to personal information, it is often still possible to contact surviving relatives via official channels. You must send any relevant letters and/or e-mails yourself. It may take quite some time before you receive a reply, but if you do succeed in the end, you will of course feel very much rewarded.
Remember that the information you provide as the basis for making contact should be exact and correct.
You can of course also find this information on the gravestone.
We also draw your attention to the existence of the official English language website, www.abmc.gov, of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which also contains information about the liberator adopted by you. The ABMC is the umbrella organization for 24 American cemeteries worldwide for US military killed in World War I and World War II.

Information on official channels in the US

The first step can be taken via the following address:

The Total Army Personnel Command

ATTN: TAPC-PAO(FOIA) 2461 Eisenhower Avenue

Alexandria, Virginia, 22331-0482

USA

Using the enclosed standard letter, which is formulated in English, you can request the Individual Deceased Personnel File. In most cases, your request will be answered with a standard letter, which also serves as a confirmation of receipt. The official channels will then determine whether the archived document requested is covered by the Freedom of Information Act. If that is the case, then your patience will be rewarded by an extensive package of information. If the archived document is covered by the Privacy Act, then you will receive nothing. (download standard letter)

Information about veterans’ organizations in the US

Practically every American military unit has its own veterans’ organization. You can track down the postal address of these organizations via the following website:
www.military-network.com/ben/Associationmenu.cfm
These organizations generally have their own website containing a wealth of information.