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MIA Sgt. Billy Frazier 4ID 12th regiment

Discussion in 'What Granddad did in the War' started by dg1983, May 4, 2013.

  1. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Now a month ago I'm the proud adopter of the name Sgt. Billy Frazier he is on the wall of the missing at the cemetery Henri Chapelle Belgium.

    I have the great honor to have find his brother Clark Frazier and has send him a letter with the post, and a week later he send me an email.

    I have so far some personal files about Billy Frazier

    Name: Billy Frazier
    UNIT: 12th Inf Regt / 4th Inf Division
    Plot – Row - Grave: Wall of the Missing
    Decoration: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart
    Rank: Sergeant
    Death: 20 Sep 4 1944
    Age: 20
    Serial number: 35293786
    State: Ohio
    Place: Clark County

    I have received the following email from his brother Clark Frazier

    Dear Danny van der Groen~~~~ Apr. 16, 2013
    Rawson, Ohio

    Such a pleasant surprise to receive your letter !! Yes, I am the Clark Frazier you are looking for.

    I am very impressed at your effort and successful search to locate me.
    I am not sure if I understand the reason you have gone into such a deep search, but I am very impressed you would take interest in renewing the history of a MIA soldier (Sgt. Billy Frazier, my brother) who was
    lost in a war 68 years ago !!!

    The story is very long but I will try to give you a short and brief review.

    Very little was known about his MIA status. In 1985 a TV production company (Hollywood) was producing a TV documentary on "The Unknown Solder Memorial" in Washington, DC. My daughter contacted the company and told them of her uncle Billy Frazier. The company contacted me and after a visit he was selected and one of the six servicemen featured in the TV program.
    The program was shown on national TV. Nov.11,1985.

    We learned of many things surrounding his MIA and location. Research was started and My wife and I made a trip to Germany in July 1986. One thing lead to another, and much more information was discovered. I made a number of trips to Washington, DC, ( searching in the National Archives). We made a total of three trips to the Schnee Eifle Forest , above Purm, near Schlausenbach, Germany.

    Because of the research, we knew the area the 12th Rgmt and 1st battalion were located. We went there with the idea of trying to find his dog tag-- after all
    he was missing and that was the last known place he had been seen. On each trip we were in the forest about a week. With our metal detectors we found many many objects ~~ but no dog tag.

    I am not sure I understand the meaning of the word "adopted" in your letter. I see it as a subject of research. Perhaps you can clear that up for me.
    I have a lot of documents on file which was gathered over the years. Most of it is very interesting. At this time I am not sure of the degree if interest you have in the details but am willing to share as you request.

    Again, THANK YOU ! for you interest and letter !! Let us communicate.

    Using the e-mail will make it very easy to communicate with each other.

    My sincere regards to you, Clark K. Frazier

    Over here a link with information about Billy Frazier, written by his brother Clark Frazier

    http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19900408&id=VDJPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BwMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5254,5710550

    On this DVD is some information about Billy Frazier.
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Unknown-Soldier-Michael-Verhoeven/dp/B0010YSDB8
     
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  2. Fred Wilson

    Fred Wilson "The" Rogue of Rogues

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  3. Ruud

    Ruud Member

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    Nice job, Danny.
     
  4. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Last week I have had a email from Billy Frazier his niece, with the documentary of "The Unknown Soldier" where his brothers talking about the missing of Billy

    I have also send a email to the Toledo Blade if they could send me some pages from the newspaper of April 8, 1990 with a article from Clark Frazier and his search for his brother
     
  5. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Just recieved from USA about Billy from his brother Clark.

    A booklet with 25 pages of information about the search from Clark Frazier for his brother Billy Frazier.
     
  6. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Today called with his brother Ferrall Frazier and I have contact on Facebook with his niece
     
  7. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    I hope you can share this information. It sounds as though you have done a large amount of work.
     
  8. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    It is a lot of work, but the honor Billy Frazier it is a little piece what I can do for him and his relatives. I'm now working on the search for Billy.
     
  9. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    A little update AGAIN.

    In the beginning of this week I have contacted a Dutch foundation who are searching for MIA men of World War II.

    Ihave send the documents I have about Billy Frazier, now they are going to read the papers that I have send and if there are enough clues, they are going to help with the search to Billy Frazier.

    I'm still waiting on the IDPF but I think within a few weeks I have the IDPF and I will send this to the Dutch foundation for more information.

    I'll keep you all posted
     
  10. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    TD-Tommy776 and KodiakBeer like this.
  11. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    Thank you for posting that article, Danny. And thank you for what you have done to honor Billy.
     
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  12. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Past weekend visited the woods were Billy was Missed in Action. I have searched over there with a friend of me and only find a scabbard of another men Of 12th C Comp
     
  13. Big_Al

    Big_Al Member

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    Danny, thank you so much for what you and your countrymen do for the fallen.
    I actually have tears in my eyes.
     
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  14. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Thank you for your great comment Big Al.
     
  15. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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  16. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    Nice job on the story, Danny.
     
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  17. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Last week I haven spent much more research about the Missing of Billy Frazier and have seen much more new information, I have find another men of the same Company who went Missed in Action on that date and is also still Missed in Action.

    On this moment I'm doing more research and requesting IDPF files and if there is someone who knows more of the German side of the vicinity of Schlausenbach around 19 september 1944 , please let me know about it.
     
  18. dg1983

    dg1983 Member

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    Today I requested 25 IDPF files around the date of missing of Sergeant Billy Frazier.

    Also within a couple of weeks some more information from a friend of me.
     
  19. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Let us know what you find.
     
  20. kauschmann

    kauschmann New Member

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    Dear ladies and gentlemen,
    please try to get in touch wich Cpt. Manfred Klein, who does the recovery worke in this area now for years. They recently found the youngest MIA from ETO, also from 12th Inf. Rgt.

    http://www.volksfreund.de/nachrichten/region/pruem/aktuell/Heute-in-der-Pruemer-Zeitung-Einsamer-Tod-zwischen-den-Linien-Leiche-eines-1945-gefallenen-US-Soldaten-bei-Pronsfeld-gefunden;art8111,3907157

    http://www.pruem-aktuell.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=de&e1=11&ssid=1&docid=1&newsid=22923

    For more informations visit one of his lectures

    View attachment 21861
     

    Attached Files:

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