John tapalansky was with the WWII 104th Army Infantry Division - 413th Regiment Company K, also known as the Timberwolf division as well as The Nightfighters. By researching the 104th and the date of his death I have been able to piece together a brief idea of how he was killed.

The 104th Infantry Division sailed for Europe on 27 August 1944. It landed in France on 7 September 1944.

Joining the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, the division moved into defensive positions in the vicinity of Wuestwezel, Belgium on 23 October 1944. Three days later, it went on the offensive, taking Zundert, gaining control of the Breda-Roosendaal Road and overrunning Vaart Canal defenses. Leur and Etten fell as the division advanced to the Mark River, arriving there by 31 October. A coordinated attack over the Mark River at Standaarduiten on 2 November established a bridgehead and the rest of the division crossed the river.Zevenbergen was captured and the Maas River was reached on 5 November.[10] While the bulk of the division moved near Aachen, Germany, elements remained to secure Moerdijk until 7 November, when they were relieved. During this time, the division was reassigned to VII Corps of the First United States Army, also part of the Twelfth Army Group.

On 16 November 1944, the division went on another offensive, taking Stolberg and pushing on against heavy resistance.

It was on this date Novemeber 16th 1944 that Operation Queen went into effect. It appears that John killed on the first day of this operation.

The division faced the German 12th VGD as well as the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division.

The division returned to the United States on 3 July 1945. Once back in states, it continued the process of demobilization until 20 December of that year, when it was inactivated.

The division suffered 1,294 killed in action, 5,305 wounded in action, 385 missing in action, and 27 prisoners of war. The division suffered a further 6,396 non-battle casualties, for a total of 13,407 casualties. The division took 51,727 German prisoners during the war, most of whom surrendered following the armistice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/104thInfantryDivision(UnitedStates)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Queen

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/cemetery/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=663628&popcount=3&tcount=3

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/wardept/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=1283167&popcount=2&tcount=3

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=357363&popcount=1&tcount=3

http://timberwolf104.org/photos4.html 3rd Battallion Company K

http://www.lonesentry.com/gistoriesbooklets/104thinfantry/

John Tapalansky