Jack H. Hohlfeld

Jack H. Hohlfeld was born on July 2, 1907, on a farm in the town of Hamburg, Vernon County, Wisconsin to Ignatz and Mary (Stremcha) Hohlfeld. Jack died of pellagra on December 26, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. Prior to Jack’s military career he married Gladys Cole in 1928 and they had one child, Elois. Jack and Gladys eventually divorced, and he moved to California in 1934. He married Iva Gardner in 1938 in Nevada and they were later divorced. Jack joined the Army Air Corps in 1938 at the age of 31 at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, Californina. He was sent to the Philippines as a Sergeant in the 24th Pursuit Group, during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender on April 9, 1942, and was subjected to the Bataan Death March before dying of pellagra on December 26, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. Sgt. Hohlfeld was awarded the following awards and decorations; Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous), Purple Heart (Posthumous), Prisoner of War Medal (Posthumous), Army Good Conduct Medal (Posthumous), American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, World War II Victory Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II, Philippine Defense Ribbon with one Bronze Star and Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation. Jack is survived by a niece, Sharon (nee, Hohlfeld) (Ron) Graw of Onalaska, a nephew Ron (Della) Hohlfeld of Flagstaff, AZ, along with several grand-nieces and nephews. He is reunited with his parents, Ignatz and Mary Hohlfeld; his daughter, Elois Austin, his brother William Hohlfeld; his sister, Helen Ann Stewert and many nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. Jack’s remains will be returned to his hometown of La Crosse where a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday, August 26th at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1031 Main Street, Onalaska with Most Rev. Gerard W. Battersby as Celebrant. Burial with military honors will follow in Catholic Cemetery, La Crosse. Visitation will be held at the church on Monday from 9:30 A.M. until the time of the Mass.