World War II Honoree

Ralph Anton Hageman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oak Park, Illinois

Honored By

Eric Hageman

Relationship

Son

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS; STARTED BASIC TRAINING IN JANUARY 1945 AT FORT JOSEPH T. ROBINSON IN PRE-PARATROOP TRAINING FOR SERVICE IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER. TRANSFERRED OUT OF PARATROOP TRAINING AND SENT TO FORT RILEY FOR THE TRAINING OF THE INVASION OF JAPAN, THEN TO FORT ORD, WHICH WAS A TRANSFER POINT. WENT TO OKINAWA FROM FORT LAWTON, ON THE USS COLBERT AND ARRIVED AS THE BATTLE OF SAW TOOTH RIDGE ENDED. ASSIGNED TO ANTI-TANK COMPANY, WHICH HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO A RIFLE COMPANY, 106TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 27TH DIVISION. FLOWN FROM NAHA INTO ZAMA, JAPAN THE DAY AFTER THE SURRENDER, ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AND CLEARED THE AREA OF JAPANESE PLANES AND TANKS. MADE IT SUITABLE FOR THE ARMY TO USE IT AS THE 4TH REPLACEMENT DEPOT OUTSIDE OF TOKYO. THEN TO MURAMATSU IN NIAGARA, PREFECTURE, NORTH OF TOKYO TO ASSIST WITH THE LOCAL POLICE IN DISARMING THE POPULATION OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO PREPARE THAT AREA FOR OCCUPATION. FROM THERE WORKED AS MILITARY POLICE. SENT INTO A CITY TO WALK AROUND AND MINGLE WITH THE LOCAL POPULATION AS AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE HOW THE JAPANESE CIVILIANS WOULD REACT TO AMERICAN SOLDIERS. WHEN THE 27TH DIVISION WAS DEACTIVATED, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 78TH COMBAT ENGINEERS. DROVE A RATION TRUCK FOR HEADQUARTERS AND SUPPLY COMPANY. COMPLETED SERVICE WITH THE 8TH ENGINEERS, 1ST CAVALRY. HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN 1946 AFTER 23 MONTHS OF SERVICE. RECEIVED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, INFANTRY RIFLEMAN BADGE.