World War II Honoree

Johnnie G. Hepding

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Mesa, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. Inducted into the United States Army December 23, 1942 at Pueblo, Colorado, with recruit training at Camp Bowie, Texas. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Hood, Texas for combat infantry and tank training. He served as a Tank Cannoneer with Bravo Company an element of the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion. His battalion was deployed to the European Theater of Operations, going ashore on Utah Beach, France August 8, 1944 attached to the Seventh Armored Division. His Battalion participated in the Battle of the Bulge against the German armed forces (Battle Dates: December 16, 1944-January 25, 1945) Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. On Friday, December 22, 1944, he was mortally wounded near St. Vith, Liege, Belgium, and his Brothers-in-Arms buried in the Foy Battlefield Cemetery, Bastogne, Belgium. In the post-war era, his family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Orchard Mesa Veterans Cemetery Location: Orchard Mesa, Colorado. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.