Additional Coverage:
WWII Soldier’s Death Mystery Solved After 8 Decades
Gerri Eisenhauer’s father, Pvt. William Walters, died in World War II before she was born. In 1944, the family received his body with a brief letter stating he died in France.
For decades, the family couldn’t find out more. But this summer, a French historian, Christophe Ligere, contacted Eisenhauer. He had discovered Walters’ name in an eyewitness diary.
In August 1944, American troops liberated Grez-sur-Loing, France. During the crossing of the Loing River, Walters’ boat capsized, and he drowned at 20.
Ligere invited the family to France, where they met Marc Perrot, who witnessed Walters’ death. Perrot showed Eisenhauer where her father was buried before his body was returned to the US.
Eisenhauer visited her father’s grave in Nebraska, feeling closure and gratitude to the people of France who still honor their liberators. She said, “It’s important because the young people [from the US] came to battle for democracy in France.”