Memorial

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S/Sgt William T. Sterner graduated from Schuylkill Haven High School and was a welder and flame cutter before he enlisted in Allentown, Pennsylvania on 20 March 1943. He was sent overseas in June 1944.

He was reported wounded in action on 16 October 1944. He sustained wounds in his back from artillery shell fragments. For this wound he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal a first time.

On 20 January 1945 his unit was defending the Moder River bridgehead in the vicinity of Drusenheim, France. A German counterattack formed a pincer movement and cut off his unit. It was later reported that he was taken prisoner with a serious head wound and interned in the hospital of a POW camp in Baden-Baden, Germany where he later died of his wounds.

The final irony is that the German roots of this Sterner family were in fact based in Baden-Baden.

His parents received a letter, dated on 22 October 1947, written by Hans Neunohner from Freiburg, Germany. He had treated S/Sgt Sterner while he was a POW. A part of the letter, written in German and translated is as follows: "I guess you are surprised from somebody you don't know from Germany. But I would like to tell you about your son William. I think it is worth remembering. Your son came to us in the beginning of January when hurt in Vogesen. He was brought to the hospital in Baden-Baden, the Black Forest. He was hurt very bad. He was wounded in the head and had brain damage. He was operated on by a specialist but was hurt too bad. He died on February 1, 1945. Whatever he had on that belonged to him I sent to the Red Cross. I worked with your son. He was mostly unconsious. I am sure he did not feel any pain. We buried your son with all the military honors. I made some pictures that I send to you today. We did not know if your son was Catholic of Protestant so we had two priests. Also the American wounded soldiers came to the grave and the Germans put a wreath down. He also got a gun salute. You can see it in the pictures. Maybe some of the Americans which were with him in the hospital told you about your son. Maybe you know some in the pictures. Maybe some of the Americans which were with him in the hospital told you about your son. I am sorry this is two years late I whrite this letter but I was in prison too and I got home to my family not too long ago. I was reading in the paper that the remains from the dead soldiers were sent back to the States. I hope your son is in the USA. I took your address from your sons papers. Hans Neunohner."