Walter VANDERPOOL was born August 27th, 1924 in Tioga County, New York.

In 1944, he is a Pvt in the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, "D Company. In November, while Sospel is liberated after weeks of hard battles, they decided with his platoon to take a rest in a large nice looking empty house. 

The Germans anticipated the americans would take up quarters there and rigged it with a time delayed device booby trapped. Five soldiers of the "D" Company will be killed that day ( Sgt Homer BEAVER, Pvt Alton ALLEN, Pfc Daniel Ogniewski, Pvt John FOUTS), four are wounded and one (Floyd POLK) lost his leg.