THE MONUMENT

The monument for Anthony M. Stefanich in Groesbeek (municipality of Berg en Dal) consists of six built-in reliefs of white natural stone. Three of the facade stones have an image on them, namely: a pig and a reading monk, a kangaroo and Saint George killing the dragon.  A text has been applied to the three other facade stones.

The text read:

‘SICILIE – ITALIE - NORMANDIE - NEDERLAND - BELGIE – ARDENNEN v DUITSLAND’.

‘THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED TO CAPT. ANTHONY STEFANICH C-CIE, 505 P.I.REG. 82nd. AIRB.DIV.’

‘HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON 18.9.1944 NEAR HET HOF SINT JANSBERG WHILE DEFENDING THE LANDING ZONE N 13.6.1979 – C – CIE.’

The monument for Anthony M. Stefanich in Groesbeek (municipality of Berg en Dal) was erected in memory of the commander of C company of the American 505th Para Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division who, while defending landing zone 'N' at the Sint-Jansberg was killed on September 18, 1944.

As part of Operation 'Market Garden', 2,291 paratroopers were dropped near Groesbeek on September 17 and 18, 1944. With this major offensive from September 17 to 26, 1944, the Allies wanted to establish a bridgehead over the major rivers in the Netherlands. Airborne troops had to secure bridges in North Brabant and Gelderland in a lightning-fast attack and ground troops had to advance from Belgium via these bridges to the IJsselmeer. Three complete divisions were dropped: the 101st US Airborne Division near Eindhoven and Veghel, the 82nd US Airborne Division near Graven and the 1st British Airborne Division near Arnhem and Oosterbeek.

The 2,291 American paratroopers who landed on Klein Amerika ('drop zone N') were led by General James M. Gavin. Commander Stefanich's C company was tasked with defending landing zone 'N'. A day after the airborne landings, Commander Stefanich was fatally struck by a German sniper's bullet when he tried to rescue the crew of a crashed glider (which had landed among enemy troops) near Het Hof, Sint-Jansberg. While he was dying, he said to the soldiers surrounding him: "We have come a long way together." He was referring to the march through the countries where they fought from 1943-1944.

Glider Monument

During Operation Market Garden, Horsa Gliders landed in this area. The monument consists of a supporting arm of a main wheel of a Horsa Glider.