Bridge at Remagen

IN MEMORIAM

William E. Grimes, Sr., 98;

Fought At Bulge, Remagen

ONEONTA – A graveside service was planned today for William E. Grimes, Sr., one of Oneonta’s last remaining World War II veterans, and a decorated one.  He passed away Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at the age of 98, plus one day.

William fought in the Battle of the Bulge, which blunted Germany’s last major offensive on the Western Front, and he was wounded during the seizure of the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, the last remaining bridge over the Rhine; the unexpected capture expedited the U.S. invasion of Germany.  Among the most famous episodes of World War II, a major motion picture, “The Bridge at Remagen,” (1969) with Robert Vaughn and George Segal, retold the story.