Dad dropped out of school his junior year and enlisted in the Army. He served as a PFC in the Army, in WW II, Co D 13th Tk Bn, and received the Purple Heart for wounds received in action...Germany, 30 March 1945. His unit was about 10-14 days behind the Battle of the Bulge. Dad's unit saw some action and he had two tanks blown up around him, resulting in a mild hearing disability.

Besides his Purple Heart, Dad also had the following medals: Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars, WW II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with the Germany Clasp and his Honorable Service Lapel Button - WW II.

He was discharged in 1946. He went back and finished his senior year in high school, graduating in the spring of 1947.

Sometime in the 1970s, Dad's house was broken into and his medals as well as his service issue pistol were stolen, amongst other things. I wrote to the NARA for his records (luckily I had a miniature version of his discharge papers) for other records and was told that they were some of those lost in the fire that destroyed thousands of records. Not to be discouraged, I then contacted my local Veteran's Administration office in Milwaukee, WI, at the Zablocki Center. I talked with a veteran there, who was very helpful in helping me get replacement medals. After about a 9 month wait following the letter requesting the replacements, I finally got an answer!! They were going to process my request, and the medals would be sent to me as soon as possible. In talking with my 'friend' at the VA Center, I was fully aware that they would replace all medals but the Purple Heart. Well, after a long 18 month wait, a package finally arrived from the Department of the Army, in St. Louis, MO. I apprehensively yet eagerly opened it and was truly amazed to find not only the replacement of Dad's medals but also a replacement Purple Heart medal (the mother's pin as well), and a duplicate certificate regarding the Purple Heart!! Since I was the one in the family that took possession of his military flag from his funeral after my stepmother passed away, I had a shadowbox specially made by a close friend. I have the flag as well as all his medals and pictures placed in this, along with a brass plate that is the same as the wording on his cemetery marker. This shadowbox now has a place of honor in my family room, amongst all my other family pictures (as well as all my husband's Superbowl memorabilia).