World War II Honoree

Julius Joseph Drapek

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pontiac, Michigan

Honored By

Doris, Mark, Raymond & Susan Drapek

Relationship

Wife & Children

ENTERED SERVICE ON AUGUST 19, 1942. STATIONED INITIALLY AT VICTORVILLE ARMY AIR FORCES BASE, CALIFORNIA. CLASSIFIED AS TECHNICIAN 5TH GRADE DENTAL LABORATORY ASSISTANT. RANK CHANGED TO CORPORAL AND WAS TRAINED AS A MEDIC. SHIPPED BY SEA TO ENGLAND IN DECEMBER 1944 AND FRANCE IN JANUARY 1945. ON FEBRUARY 9, 1945 HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE 8TH ARMORED DIVISION, U.S. 9TH ARMY, 16TH AND 19TH CORPS, DEPLOYED TO RHINELAND AND ULTIMATELY THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN CAMPAIGNS. UNIT CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER NEAR THE RHEIN-HERNE KANAL ON MARCH 6, 1945. PASSED THROUGH HAMM, DORTMUND,ELSEN, WOLFENBUTTEL AND EVENTUALLY REACHED CATTENSTEDT NEAR BLANKENBURG IN THE HARZ MOUNTAINS OF THE STATE OF SACHSEN-ANHALT IN GERMANY ON APRIL 20,1945, SHORTLY BEFORE THE WAR ENDED. SHIPPED BACK TO U.S. AND ARRIVED JULY 10, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED DECEMBER 24, 1945 AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS. AWARDED THE AMERICAN THEATER RIBBON, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 2 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, 1 SERVICE STRIPE AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.