PVT Joseph Albert Wagner

courtesy of Janet

PVT Joseph Albert Wagner was born 23 Jul 1913 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. He was the 2nd of the 2 sons born to Edward L. and Katherine (Krause) Wagner. His father worked as a crane operator building railroad cars for American Car and Foundry Company in Jeffersonville. Joseph's father died in 1934. His older brother had already married and moved away. Katherine had to make do working as a laundress working out of her home. Then more tragedy struck the extended family and Joseph's older brother Willard died on 21 Jan 1938. His 2 children were sent to live with grandmother Katherine at 909 Pratt Street a home she was fortunate enough to own. Joseph married Anna Margaret Gedling on 20 Oct 1938. Joseph was working for Colgate-Palmolive in Jeffersonville and the couple lived at 521 East Maple Street in Jeffersonville, about 8 blocks from Joseph's mother, and Joseph reported $966 income in 1939. Anna was working as a seamstress in a shirt factory and she earned $364 in 1939. 

Joseph was drafted in November 1943. After completing his basic military training he was sent to England, probably in May 1944. PVT Wagner was transferred from the replacement depot to K Company 116th Infantry on 19 Jun 1944. He then fought with the unit through the hedgerows as the regiment approached the critical multiple road junction city of Saint-Lo, France. It was near Saint-Lo that PVT Wagner was killed in action on 11 Jul 1944. 

PVT Wagner was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in the Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Jeffersonville, Indianawhere he rests forever next to his mother and brother.