World War II Honoree

Emil William Haberkamp

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lombard, Illinois

Honored By

Mary Elizabeth Haberkamp & Patricia Susan Stout

Relationship

Wife & Daughter

EMIL SERVED IN COMPANY A, 358TH INFANTRY, 1ST BATTALION OF THE 90TH INFANTRY DIVISION OF THE U.S. ARMY FROM DECEMBER 1943 TO DECEMBER 1945. HE WAS A STAFF SERGEANT, DECLINING TO BE SENT TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND ALSO A PROMOTION TO MASTER SERGEANT. HE ALSO DECLINED HIS BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION. RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HIS DIVISION'S HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE BREAKTHROUGH TO CAPTURE THE MAYENNE BRIDGE INTACT; THE FALAISE GAP, CHAMBOIS; TO REIMS TO ESTABLISH BRIDGEHEAD FOR CROSSING AT FONTAINEBLEAU AND MONTERAU OVER THE SEINE; REIMS TO THIONVILLE TO METZ; THE FIRST MOSELLE CROSSING OF A TREACHEROUS FLOODED RIVER, THE WORST OF THE RIVER'S HISTORY, INTO THE FACE OF FORMIDABLE FORT KOENIGSMACHER, DRIVE TO THE SAAR, THE SAAR RIVER CROSSING; THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE; THE DIVISION FOUGHT THEIR WAY THROUGH GERMANY'S WEST WALL, CRACKING THE WEST WALL, THROUGH THE HILLS OF EIFEL; FROM THE MOSELLE TO THE RHINE AND FROM THE RHINE TO THE MAIN, THROUGH THE HILLS OF HESSEN, TO PRAGUE WHERE DIVISION ELEMENTS DISCOVERED THE HIDDEN GOLD CACHE AT MERKERS, THE FALLING OF HOF AND CROSSING OF THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN BORDER, SPLITTING OF GERMANY ACCOMPLISHED BY THE 90TH; ADVANCEMENT INTO BAVARIA, WHICH INCLUDED LIBERATION OF THE CONCENTRATION CAMP AT FLOSSENBERG.