Hello All,
My name is Mike Hinkle and I new to this site but in my early stages of being here I have found information about family members that has been so wonderful. However even though I have some good stuff I am looking for more. I have just started tracing my family genealogy and I am wanting to get a better picture of the members who served our country and made the freedoms that I enjoy possible.
Kenneth D. Hinkle (my grandfather) was part of the 159th Combat Engineers. He was wounded in action. He took part in the Battle of the Buldge. He passed away in 1990.
Paul D. Hinkle (great-uncle) 141st Regiment, 36 inf. He does have a site on this website and I am trying to find more information about him and also possibly his unit. This is Kenneth's brother.
Joseph A. Yurkonis (great uncle- Kenneth and Paul's sister's husband) I have virtually no information on him and military service.
To find information on 2 uncles and my Grandfather on this site makes me believe that I can find even more information of at least a right direction to look. I was very young to remember or understand stories from my grandfather and never knew my 2 great uncles. But seeing things posted on here makes me get to know them just that much better and know the great sacarifices they made. Sorry about the length of this post...
Hi Mike, on a quick search, not too much pops up on Joseph. The WWII Memorial website data just says he was in the Army & served in Europe. No results for an enlistment record at Nara website or on Ancestry.com. the only thing on him that comes up on Ancestry is a prisoner of war record, not much info to positively identify him as your Joseph but it could be.
World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946
Name: Joseph A Yurkonis
Race: White
Report Date: 15 Jun 1945
Latest Report Date: 13 Feb 1946
Grade: Private
Grade Notes: Cadet, USMA or Chief Warrant Officer or Private or Apprentice, Seaman
Service Branch: Army
Area Served: European Theatre
Detaining Country: Germany
Status: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated
Report Source: Individual has been reported through sources considered official.
Larry
"I'm proud to be an American, Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died, Who gave that right to me."
God bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
Found his enlistment record:
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 33949287
NAME YURKONIS#JOSEPH#A
RESIDENCE: STATE 32 PENNSYLVANIA
RESIDENCE: COUNTY 107 SCHUYLKILL
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 3288 NEW CUMBERLAND PENNSYLVANIA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 16
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 06
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 44
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private
GRADE: CODE 8 Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION NO# No branch assignment
BRANCH: CODE 02 No branch assignment
FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #
TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
LONGEVITY ### ###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life
NATIVITY 32 PENNSYLVANIA
YEAR OF BIRTH 26
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen
EDUCATION 3 3 years of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 992 Undefined Code
MARITAL STATUS 6 Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER # #
BOX NUMBER 0730 0730
FILM REEL NUMBER 1.247 1.247
Larry
"I'm proud to be an American, Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died, Who gave that right to me."
God bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
Larry thanks for the info and the time you have taken. I do have enlistment records for the Hinkles, just in case you were to look for them. I will see my father tomorrow and see if he knows if Joseph was a POW.
I spoke to my dad today and he said that he is pretty sure that Jospeh was not a POW. He can not recall that ever being discussed and also he thinks that would have been mentioned in the Obit for him.
As for my grandfather he was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge at/near Hill 313
