The memorial dedicated to American Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole in Best serves as a tribute to his memory. He met his fate on September 18, 1944, during Operation Market Garden when he was shot by a German sniper.
In September 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole (March 19, 1915 - September 18, 1944) led a military unit with the mission of securing the bridge in Best as part of Operation Market Garden. This operation aimed to push through Southern Netherlands, ultimately reaching Arnhem to capture the intact bridge over the Rhine.
Robert Cole's valor and leadership were highly praised, particularly for his fearless actions on June 11, 1944. During an attack on the last four bridges leading to Carentan, France, his unit came under intense enemy fire. He took up the rifle and bayonet of a fallen comrade and courageously led his unit across open terrain, braving a hail of bullets to reach the enemy positions. For his extraordinary bravery, Robert Cole was posthumously honored with the highest awards, including the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. He rests in peace at the American Cemetery in Margraten, in Block B, row 15, grave 27.
The unveiling of the Robert Cole monument took place on September 18, 2009, with his 67-year-old son Bruce presiding over the ceremony, exactly 65 years after his father's tragic demise.
The inscription on the memorial stone reads:
'AIRBORNE
101 LT. COL.
ROBERT G. COLE
MEDAL OF HONOR
18 SEPT. 1944
FELL
FOR US.'
