World War II Honoree

William A. Wagner, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Marion, Indiana

Honored By

B. J. Wagner

Relationship

Brother

CORPORAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN /COMPANY RUNNER. INDUCTED AT FORT HARRISON, INDIANA. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, ACCEPTED INTO THE ARMY SPECIALIZED TRAINING PROGRAM (ASTP) AT HEIDLEBERG COLLEGE, TIFFIN, OHIO. UPON ITS TERMINATION WAS ASSIGNED TO COMPANY L, 406TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 102ND INFANTRY DIVISION, AT CAMP SWIFT, TEXAS, FOR ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATERS OF OPERATION ENTERING ACTION AT GEILENKIREHEN, GERMANY, THEN SEIZING APWEILER, GEREONSWEILER AND BRACHELEN BEFORE CROSSING THE ROER RIVER ON FOOT-BRIDGE AT LINNICH. AFTER CAPTURING KREFELD AND CROSSING THE RHINE AT WESEL, CONTINUED SPEARHEADING THE U.S. NINTH ARMYS DRIVE THROUGH MUNSTER, HANOVER, AND GARDELGEN, WHERE EVIDENCE OF A MASSIVE ATROCITY WAS DISCOVERED; THUS THE FINAL DRIVE BEFORE MEETING THE RUSSIANS AT STENDAL ON THE WEST BANK OF THE ELBE RIVER. RETURNED TO CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, FOR SEPARATION FROM THE SERVICE. RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROICS UNDER FIRE.