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name
BODEWALDT, Joseph R - Date of
birth
13 December 1916 -
Age
28 - Place of
birth
Honesdale, Wayne County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
20302578 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
HQ & HQ Company,
2nd Battalion,
109th Infantry Regiment,
28th Infantry Division,
Anti-Tank Platoon
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Died non-Battle - Date of
death
9 April 1945 - Place of
death
Bad Fallingbostel, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 32 | 33 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Emanuel A. Bodewaldt (father)
Catharine B. (Langendorfer) Bodewaldt (mother)
Loretta Bodewaldt (sister)
Robert Bodewaldt (brother)
Kenneth Bodewaldt (brother)
More information
S/Sgt Joseph R. Bodewaldt was a shoemaker. He joined the National Guard in Honesdale, Pennsylvania on 17 February 1941.He was taken prisoner of war on 18 December 1944 in Walsdorf, Luxembourg and, according to German records, was held at Stalag VIII-A in Görlitz, Germany. His remains were discovered at the POW Cemetery of Oerbke, next to Stalag XI-B in Bad Fallingbostel. He died of broncho-pneumonia.
When his remains were disinterred on 27 April 1946, his name was on the coffin, but he was evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery as Unknown X-4027. He could be identified by comparison of tooth charts in 2 March 1948.
After being buried in a temporary grave at Ardennes, he was again disinterred on 17 November 1948. His remains were prepared and placed in a casket on 2 December 1948 and he was given his final resting place on 5 April 1950.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Pennsylvania U.S. Veteran Compensation Application
Photo source: Peter Schouteten