His story: S-Sgt Roy Booher
Name: Roy Booher
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Unit: Company K, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
Roy Booher, son of Jim and Ada Booher was born on 21 September 1920 in Burkesville Kentucky.
He was born a twin, his twin brother’s name was Ray. The Booher family was big, Jim and Ada
had 13 children. Life was hard in Kentucky during the great depression, so the Booher family
moved to Anaheim, California in 1940.
Once one of the brother’s (not sure who) got drafted, the other brother followed
him. The army doesn’t allow brothers to be in the same regiment, but the brothers got placed
in the same division; the 30th Infantry Division, or better known as ‘Old Hickory’.
Roy served in the 119th and Ray in the 120th Infantry Regiment. They were brought to
Camp Blanding in California for military training. Roy and Ray were deployed in the European
Theatre of Operations (ETO), two other brothers joined the navy and were deployed in the
Pacific (PTO).
The 30th Infantry division wasn’t involved in the D-day landings, but got in action soon after the
allied beachhead was established. The division saw some heavy fighting in France at Saint-Lo
and Mortain.
Roy and Ray met up one time in a French village while the 120th and 119th Infantry Regiments
crossed each other’s path. Roy was sitting at a porch when he saw his brother passing by.
He shouted to Ray, what followed was a nice reunion that lasted for about 30 minutes. This was
the last time they saw each other.
Eventually the family received a letter telling them Roy was killed in action near Visé in Belgium.
After a lot of research done by Gary Booher (Roy’s cousin) and some locals from Noorbeek, a small
village in the south of the Netherlands, the actual spot where Roy Booher died was found. But
because of some errors in the reports of the division, it didn’t turn out to be Visé.
Roy fought his way through France and Belgium with K company of the 119th Infantry Regiment.
On 12 September 1944, the 119th Infantry Regiment crossed the Dutch border for an attack on
Noorbeek.
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Unit: Company K, 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
Roy Booher, son of Jim and Ada Booher was born on 21 September 1920 in Burkesville Kentucky.
He was born a twin, his twin brother’s name was Ray. The Booher family was big, Jim and Ada
had 13 children. Life was hard in Kentucky during the great depression, so the Booher family
moved to Anaheim, California in 1940.
Once one of the brother’s (not sure who) got drafted, the other brother followed
him. The army doesn’t allow brothers to be in the same regiment, but the brothers got placed
in the same division; the 30th Infantry Division, or better known as ‘Old Hickory’.
Roy served in the 119th and Ray in the 120th Infantry Regiment. They were brought to
Camp Blanding in California for military training. Roy and Ray were deployed in the European
Theatre of Operations (ETO), two other brothers joined the navy and were deployed in the
Pacific (PTO).
The 30th Infantry division wasn’t involved in the D-
Roy and Ray met up one time in a French village while the 120th and 119th Infantry Regiments
crossed each other’s path. Roy was sitting at a porch when he saw his brother passing by.
He shouted to Ray, what followed was a nice reunion that lasted for about 30 minutes. This was
the last time they saw each other.
Eventually the family received a letter telling them Roy was killed in action near Visé in Belgium.
After a lot of research done by Gary Booher (Roy’s cousin) and some locals from Noorbeek, a small
village in the south of the Netherlands, the actual spot where Roy Booher died was found. But
because of some errors in the reports of the division, it didn’t turn out to be Visé.
Roy fought his way through France and Belgium with K company of the 119th Infantry Regiment.
On 12 September 1944, the 119th Infantry Regiment crossed the Dutch border for an attack on
Noorbeek.
Photo: This card was made by the group that
erected Roy Booher’s monument in Noorbeek,
the Netherlands.
erected Roy Booher’s monument in Noorbeek,
the Netherlands.
Company K and L advanced through Noorbeek. While moving through the village they didn’t receive much opposition. Just before the Americans
moved into Noorbeek, German soldiers stayed in the East of the village. Mr. Brouwers who lived on the eastern edge of Noorbeek, had some
German soldiers resting at his house. When the Germans heard that the Americans were approaching, they fled into the woods further east.
Mr. Brouwers walked up to the American soldiers to warn them. Staff Sergeant Roy Booher, accompanied by another soldier, moved further
up the street to see where the Germans had gone. Suddenly a shot was fired from the woods, which instantly killed Roy.
Company K stopped moving forward and asked for air support. About an hour later, three planes flew over Noorbeek and strafed the woods from
all sides. While company K stayed put in Noorbeek, company L moved to higher ground on the left flank at Terlinden via Bergenhuizen. The next
morning, September 13, a local woman, who was a nurse, examined Roy’s body. Roy’s body was recovered and buried on Fosse temporary
cemetery in Belgium and later moved to Henri-Chapelle war cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Four friends from Noorbeek, who helped in the research project, adopted Roy’s grave at Henri-Chapelle war cemetery. They take part in the
commemorative services at the cemetery every year and place flowers at his grave on special occasions like Christmas and Memorial Day.
moved into Noorbeek, German soldiers stayed in the East of the village. Mr. Brouwers who lived on the eastern edge of Noorbeek, had some
German soldiers resting at his house. When the Germans heard that the Americans were approaching, they fled into the woods further east.
Mr. Brouwers walked up to the American soldiers to warn them. Staff Sergeant Roy Booher, accompanied by another soldier, moved further
up the street to see where the Germans had gone. Suddenly a shot was fired from the woods, which instantly killed Roy.
Company K stopped moving forward and asked for air support. About an hour later, three planes flew over Noorbeek and strafed the woods from
all sides. While company K stayed put in Noorbeek, company L moved to higher ground on the left flank at Terlinden via Bergenhuizen. The next
morning, September 13, a local woman, who was a nurse, examined Roy’s body. Roy’s body was recovered and buried on Fosse temporary
cemetery in Belgium and later moved to Henri-
Four friends from Noorbeek, who helped in the research project, adopted Roy’s grave at Henri-
Map: the situation at Noorbeek.
Photo: Marker for Roy Booher.
Photo: WWII article falsly stating
Roy got KIA in Belgium.
Roy got KIA in Belgium.
Photo: The adoptees for Roy Booher’s grave, Kevin, Frank,
Jean-Paul and Jeroen.
Jean-
