World War II Honoree

Louis D. 'Louie' Fitzpatrick

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hastings, Minnesota

Honored By

Charlene Rother

Relationship

Daughter

JOINED U.S. ARMY ON MAY 27, 1943 AND ATTENDED BASIC AND CAVALRY TRAINING AT FORT RILEY, KANSAS. ON NOVEMBER 26, 1943 DEPLOYED TO ENGLAND AND JOINED THE 102ND CAVALRY SQUADRON, WHICH WAS LATER RECOGNIZED FOR DEVELOPING THE 'RINO PLOW' THAT WAS MOUNTED ON THE FRONT END OF TANKS AND USED FOR PENETRATING GERMAN HEDGEROWS AFTER THE D-DAY INVASION. DURING 1944, ATTENDED THE COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS COURSE AT EXETER, ENGLAND AND WAS REASSIGNED TO COMPANY C, 164TH ENGINEER BATTALION AS A RADIO OPERATOR. THE UNIT CONDUCTED ALL TYPES OF ENGINEER MISSIONS IN FRANCE, BELGIUM AND GERMANY AND PRIMARILY CONSTRUCTED BRIDGES AND MAINTAINED SUPPLY ROUTES. PARTICIPATED IN 5 CAMPAIGNS: NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES AND CENTRAL EUROPE. ALSO, DURING MARCH 1945, PARTICIPATED IN THE DEFENSE OF THE LUDENDORFF BRIDGE AT REMAGEN, GERMANY. ACHIEVED THE RANK OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. UPON UNIT DEMOBILIZATION, WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN, ON OCTOBER 29, 1945.