John R. Towle

Rang: Private

Overlijdensdatum: 21 September 1944

Legeronderdeel: 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

Laatste rustplaats: Ohio, Verenigde Staten

Triangle of Tribute locatie: Oosterhout, John R. Towlestraat

ohn Roderick Towle was born on October 19, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in a family of four children. In March 1943, shortly after his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He volunteered for the paratroopers and was assigned to C Company, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd “All American” Airborne Division. On September 21, 1944, during Operation Market Garden, Private Towle and C Company were holding a defensive line near Oosterhout in the Netherlands. When a strong German force of approximately 100 infantrymen, two tanks, and a half-track launched a counterattack, Towle took the initiative. Without orders, he left his cover and moved approximately 200 meters through intense enemy fire to an exposed position along the embankment of the Waal dike. From there, he fired his rocket launcher at both tanks, forcing them to withdraw. He then killed nine German soldiers who had taken up positions in a nearby house. While reloading his rocket launcher to engage the half-track, Towle was mortally wounded by a mortar shell. His courageous actions were instrumental in stopping the German attack and saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. John was 19 years old.