Date of birth:

May 21st, 1914 (Lincoln, United States)

Date of death:

January 15th, 1990 (United States)

Nationality:

American

In rank of captain, Harold F. Hoppe led the liberation of Heer as Commander of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th "Old Hickory" Division. At the mill of Gronsveld, the Allied troops engaged in battle with the German soldiers of the 275th Division, who had placed 3 machine gun nests here. The mill was destroyed during these battles.
Standing on a tank, he followed the retreating German troops, leaving dozens of German soldiers surrendered or killed. Due to the rapid advance of the E Company, Heer was liberated on September 13, 1944. This made him known as the hero of Heer. In memory his name is mentioned on the Monument Heer liberated 50 years .
Captain Hoppe was awarded the Silver Star for on this day shown courage by Division Cdt., Major General L.S. Hobbs.

When crossing the Siegfried line, Harold was the first American officer on German soil to be wounded.

On January 15, 1990, Harold died of leukemia.

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• Photo 1: Prive collectie W.A. Bronkhorst
• - WIJTS, G. H., De bevrijding van Heer, N.v.t., Heer, Maastricht.
  - History of the 117th Infantry – 1944-1945, In courtesy of the 30th Infantry Division Association, Army & Navy Publishing Company, Baton Rouge, USA
  - Hewitt, R.L., Workhorse of the Western Front – The Story of the 30th Infantry Division, The Battery Press, Nashville, USA, 1980
  - The 30th Infantry Division Veterans of WWII
  - Harold F Hoppe Momument