1LT Louis George Schadegg
Today we honor and remember 1LT Louis George Schadegg of the 101st Airborne Division.
First Lieutenant Louis G. Schadegg of the 326th Airborne Medical Company, 101st Airborne Division, was born in La Crosse, Whitman County, in the state of Washington on March 13, 1913. His parents were George J. and Elizabeth Frances (Glowczewsky) Schadegg. He had one older brother, Francis J. “Frank” Schadegg.
After his graduation from High School at Lind Public Schools, Louis studied for four years at the Washington State Normal School at Cheney Historic District, now Eastern Washington University. He received his master degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, after which he held a job as a laboratory technician and assistant.
On April 22, 1942, Louis Schadegg enlisted in the Army in Spokane.
He had almost two years of pre-medical training and qualified as a medical parachutist while he was stationed in England. He participated in the D-Day operations with the 326th Airborne Medical Company in Normandy, France, and the operations in the Netherlands was his second major combat period.
Lieutenant Louis Schadegg was Killed in Action at the Clearing Station of the 326th Airborne Medical Company at the Dobbelmannweg, Nijmegen, on October 29, 1944, at the age of 31 years old.
The 326th Airborne Medical Company’s AAR of December 11, 1944, describes what happened on that fateful day:
“The Company continued to operate a Clearing Station in its initial location at Nijmegen until 13:30 hrs, October 29, 1944, at which time it was bombed. Since the station had been struck by AP [Anti-Personal] bombs at 10:00 hrs and by rockets at 11:30 hrs, it was deemed advisable to move the unit to a new location following the bombing which rendered the building untenable; all windows having been blown out.”
Lieutenant Schadegg was killed when a bomb struck near his jeep. The 326th Airborne Medical Company suffered three killed and six wounded as a result of the bombing. Of other units at that location, five more were killed and an additional six were wounded.
Another Screaming Eagle had soared to the ultimate height. 🦅
Lieutenant Louis G. Schadegg was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery Molenhoek, Netherlands (Code 4655, Block F, Row 1, Grave 8). He was later re-buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten (Code 4601; Block K, Row 1, Grave 6).
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Louis.
Lest we forget. 🇺🇸