Tucked between
two tall bushes at Lake View cemetery is a simple military headstone. While it
seems to be hidden away, each year a small American flag is placed at the site.
The stone marks
the final resting place of the only known soldier or sailor from Interlaken who
died in World War II and buried at the cemetery.
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| William D. Rappleye Military Headstone Lake View Cemetery, Interlaken Photo from the author's collection |
Recognizing the
26th Division notation and the death date it was likely Sgt.
Rappleye died as a result of the Battle of the Bulge. This was confirmed by the
notice in the January 19, 1945 Interlaken Review.
“William
Rappleye, son of Snyder Rappleye, the former being a great, great, great
grandson of William Rappleye, one of the original settlers of this country, was
killed while in action under General Patton on December 27, [1944].”
Looking online
additional information on this pivotal battle is quickly found.
On this day, General George S. Patton
employs an audacious strategy to relieve the besieged Allied defenders of
Bastogne, Belguim, during the Battle of the Bulge…Food, medical supplies and
other resources eroded as bad weather and relentless German assaults threatened
the Americans’ ability to hold out…
Enter “Old Blood and Guts,” General
Patton. Employing a complex and quick-witted strategy wherein he literally
wheeled his 3rd army a sharp 90 degrees in a counter-thrust movement,Patton
broke through the German lines and entered Bastogne, relieving the valiant
defenders and ultimately pushing the Germans east across the Rhine.
One source notes that 20,000 Americans died over the
course of this siege and battle.
Sgt. William
Ditmars Rappleye was born April 6, 1925, son of Daisy Rose Denis and Snyder
Charles Rappleye. They are buried beside their son at Lake View Cemetery.
After the close
of the war the task remained of transporting war casualties to their final
resting place. Interlaken Review July 23, 1948,
under the heading, “World War II Dead Returned.”
“The remains of
Sgt. William D. Rappleye, consigned to Raymond Hurlbut, Interlaken, N. Y., for
delivery to Snyder C Rappleye, 350 Main St., West Orange, N. J., will be
shipped July 21, 1948, escorted by T-Sgt. Arnold N. Stensland, of the U. S.
Military Escort Detachment.”
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| Military Headstone Request, William D. Rappleye Ancestory.com |
Dewitt’s Diary, Wednesday, December 27, 1944
About 6 above,
cloudy and cold south wind all day. Snow again tonight.
I went down to
the east woods on my skis this afternoon. Scared out a fox.
There is a heavy
crust on most of the snow. Hard walking except on skis.
One of my bio ancestors, I'm pretty sure
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