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Personal info

Full name
GABRIEL, Christian John "Johnnie"
Date of birth
1 April 1924
Age
21
Place of birth
New York City, Queens County, New York
Hometown
Queens, Queens County, New York

Military service

Service number
32800298
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Squad Leader
Unit
H Company,
2nd Battalion,
311th Infantry Regiment,
78th Infantry Division
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
15 April 1945
Place of death
Remscheid, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
B 10 28

Immediate family

Members
Christian J. Gabriel (father)
Irene (Whalen) Gabriel (mother)
Jane Gabriel (sister)
Kathleen Gabriel (sister)
Richard A. Gabriel (brother)
Robert Gabriel (brother)

More information

Sgt Christian J. Gabriel enlisted in New York City, New York on 10 February 1943.

He originally was serving as an Engineering Officer cadet but as the war progressed many of the officer training programs were discontinued by the Army and the personnel involved were transferred to combat units. In Sgt Gabriel's case that was the Infantry.

He was killed on the last day his division suffered any fatal casualties. They were pulled off the battle line the next day and saw no further combat; just occupation duty in Germany after hostilities ceased.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Chris Gabriel (niece), Richard A. Gabriel (brother), www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com – Lawrence E. Breeze, www.findagrave.com – Joseph Gabriel, www.ancestry.com – WWII Enlistment Record / 1930 Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Des Philippet, J.M. Kouters