World War II Honoree

Joseph Pracht Bader

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Louisville, Kentucky

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On December 1, 1942, he was inducted into the United States Army at Louisville, Kentucky. His boot camp training took place at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. Later he completed combat infantry training at Camp Maxey in Paris, Texas. Served as a Rifleman with the 99th Infantry ‘Checkerboard’ Division in the European Theater of Operations, assigned to Easy Company, Second Battalion and 394th Infantry Regiment. His division participated in the Battle of the Bulge against the German armed forces (Battle Dates: December 16, 1944-January 25, 1945) Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. Killed in action Sunday, April 15, 1945 during a combat engagement in Germany’s Ruhr Pocket, and buried in a battlefield cemetery in Germany. After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, the family of this Soldier requested that his remains be transferred to the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial Margraten Limburg, Netherlands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.