World War II Honoree

Ernest Ervin 'Bud' Hake

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Toppenish, Washington

Honored By

Bob Speckman

Relationship

Nephew

SELECTED IN THE PRE-WAR DRAFT ON FEBRUARY 17, 1941. SERVED IN U.S. ARMY FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS. BECAUSE OF HIS AGE (28), HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR AN EARLY DISCHARGE, BUT THE WAR BEGAN THREE DAYS AHEAD OF THE DEPARTURE DATE. ENDED UP SERVING THROUGHOUT THE WAR AND WAS DISCHARGED SEPTEMBER 30, 1945. ATTACHED TO 17TH ARMORED ENGINEERS, SECOND ARMORED 'HELL ON WHEELS' DIVISION. SERVED 43 MONTHS OVERSEAS, INCLUDING DUTY IN AFRICA, ENGLAND, FRANCE, HOLLAND, BELGIUM AND GERMANY. THE DIVISION WAS AWARDED THE FOURRAGERE BY THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT FOR DISTINGUISHED ACTION DURING THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE IN THE ARDENNES, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. IT WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN DIVISION TO ENTER BERLIN, BUT ONLY AFTER STOPPING AT THE ELBE RIVER, ON GENERAL EISENHOWER'S ORDERS, TO ALLOW THE RUSSIANS TO BE THE FIRST ALLIES TO ENTER THE GERMAN CAPITAL.