2LT Joseph Albert Snedorf Jr.

Joseph in 1929

2LT Joseph Albert Snedorf Jr. was born 10 Jan 1909 in Slovakia. An only child, he immigrated with his family, arriving 14 Jan 1914 in New York aboard the Kronprinzessin Cecilie.The family soon moved to Chicago, Illinois where they lived at 2354 South Albany Avenue and his father worked as a clerk in a grocery store. Hard work provided well for the family who bought a home at 2508 61st Avenue in Cicero, Illinois. The home was valued at $7000 in 1930 but that fell to $4500 in 1940. Joseph was getting a good education. He had graduated in 1927 from Morton High School and in 1929 from Morton Junior College. Joseph had then attended the University of Illinois earning a BS in Education. Joseph also attend Northwestern University seeking a Master's degree. However, the great depression was apparently affecting the family. Joseph senior was still clerking at a grocery earning a reported 1939 income of $788 and Joseph Jr. was working as a supervisor for the Works Progress Administration adult education program at the McKinley School in Cicero with an income of $380 for the same year. He was later hired as a teacher. 

Joseph was drafted in June 1942. He took his basic military training at Camp Swift, Texas with the 379th Infantry in the 95th Infantry Division before going to Fort Benning, Georgia for Officer Candidate School. He then served at Camp Kohler, California and Camp Hood, Texas. Sometime in this period he married a local woman, Mildred R. Havel, and the couple established a home at 3425 Cuyler Avenue, Cicero. Unfortunately, 2LT Snedorf spent little if any time there as he was sent to the European theater in July 1944. He was transferred from the replacement depot to F Company 116th Infantry on 24 Oct 1944. 2LT Snedorf served as a platoon leader in fighting through Baesweiler and Setterich until he was killed in action in fighting in Koslar, Germany on 25 Nov 1944.

2LT Snedorf was repatriated and re-interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.