World War II Honoree

Fred C. Hagmann

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Honored By

Joyce Hagmann

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY ON MARCH 12, 1943 AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON MARCH 19TH AT FT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS. JOINED THE 106TH INFANTRY DIVISION FOR BASIC TRAINING. LEFT THE USA ON MAY 3, 1943. ARRIVED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ON MAY 15TH AND SENT TO WARMINSTER, ENGLAND WHERE HE TRAINED UNTIL HE WENT TO THE COAST TO GO TO FRANCE. A FEW DAYS AFTER D-DAY, HE LANDED ON THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY WITH THE 90TH DIVISION AS AN INFANTRY REPLACEMENT. INJURED IN BATTLE, HOSPITALIZED, RELEASED TO THE 20TH CORPS AND BECAME A DRIVER FOR LIEUTENANT COLONEL CLARK GOING THROUGH GERMANY. FIRST TO ENTER BUCHENWALD CONCENTRATION CAMP WHEN IT WAS LIBERATED. TOLD TO TAKE PHOTOS. HE TOOK PICTURES OF THE STADIUM AT NUREMBERG WITH THE HUGE SWASTIKA ABOVE THE SPEAKER'S PLATFORM. HE WAS TRANSFERRED COMPANY A, 314TH INFANTRY OF THE 79TH DIVISION AND WAS SENT TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE TO GO TO JAPAN, BUT THEY HAD SURRENDERED. HE WENT THROUGH THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR BACK TO THE U.S. AND LANDED AT NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA ON DECEMBER 24, 1945. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON DECEMBER 30, 1945. AWARDS AND DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER RIBBON, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 4 BATTLE STARS, 3 OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND BRONZE STAR. PARTICIPATED IN BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS OF NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE.