Home > United States of America > Iowa > Plymouth County > Le Mars > Memorial Cemetery > CPL William C Bradley

CPL William C Bradley

Birth	:	13 Mar 1925
Death	:	14 Apr 1945
Burial	:	Memorial Cemetery, Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.7875000, -96.1504920
Plot	:	Block 12 Lot 40
Inscription	:	CPL, 329 INF, 83 INF DIV WORLD WAR II
Description	:	Billy Bradley, son of Mrs. C. L. Bradley, was killed in action in Germany on April 14, 1945, according to a telegram received from the war department by his mother last night. He was a member of the 83rd division. Surviving also are five sisters; (Helen) Mrs. Harry Plendl, LeMars; (Lulu) Mrs. Carl Schultz, LeMars; Dorothy of Sioux City; (Irene) Mrs. Robert Ross and (Ruth) Mrs. Raymond Barthole. Pfc. Bradley was a little over 20 years of age when he became a victim of the war. He lived most of his life in LeMars and graduated from the... Read More	Billy Bradley, son of Mrs. C. L. Bradley, was killed in action in Germany on April 14, 1945, according to a telegram received from the war department by his mother last night. He was a member of the 83rd division. Surviving also are five sisters; (Helen) Mrs. Harry Plendl, LeMars; (Lulu) Mrs. Carl Schultz, LeMars; Dorothy of Sioux City; (Irene) Mrs. Robert Ross and (Ruth) Mrs. Raymond Barthole. Pfc. Bradley was a little over 20 years of age when he became a victim of the war. He lived most of his life in LeMars and graduated from the local high school. He entered the army June 24, 1943, and received his training at Camps Fannin, Hood and Howze in Texas, and was shipped overseas Dec. 28, 1944. On March 13, his birthday, he was interviewed by Gordon Gammack, the war correspondent about his post-war plans. He told Gammack that he intended to complete his education in college upon receiving his discharge. Tentative plans have been arranged for a memorial service to be held at St. John's American Lutheran Church on May 13. Source: The LeMars Globe-Post, April 26, 1945 ~ LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel April 27, 1945 FOUR LE MARS MEN KILLED IN MILITARY SERVICE PAST WEEK Billy Bradley, Walter Ruden, Gordon Phipps, Martin Hoffmann Mrs. Clara Bradley, of LeMars, was notified Wednesday by the War Department that her son, Cpl. Billy Bradley, was killed in action in Germany, April 14. Billy Bradley was born in LeMars, March 13, 1925, and enlisted in the Army in June, 1943, two weeks after he graduated from LeMars high school. He trained at Camps Fannin, Hood and Howzer and was an instructor after he completed his basic training. He went overseas last November where he was assigned to the 83d division with which outfit he was serving since. When he last wrote they were in the vicinity of the Elbe river. On March 18th, his 20th birthday, he was interviewed by Gordon Gammack, the Des Moines Register correspondent, who reported the interview to the Sunday Register. He was with an infantry regiment. Billy was the youngest member of the family and is survived by his parents and five sisters, Mrs. Carl Schultz, Mrs. Harry Plendl, Mrs. E. C. Ross, and Mrs. Mary Barthole, all of this county, and Miss Dorothy, who is employed in Sioux City. ~ The Sioux City Journal, April 29, 1945 LeMars Corporal Is Killed in Germany LeMars, Ia.—Special: Cpl. Billy Bradley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Katherine Bradley of LeMars, was killed in action April 14 in Germany, they were informed by the War Department. Cpl. Bradley was born March 13, 1925, in LeMars and enlisted in the Army in June, 1943, two weeks after his graduation from LeMars high school. He received training at Camp Fannin, Hood and Howzer and was an instructor after he completed his basic training. Cpl. Bradley went overseas last November and was assigned to the 33d division. Cpl. Bradley was the youngest member of the family and is survived by his parents and five sisters, Mrs. Carl Schultz, Mrs. Harry Plendl, Mrs. E. C. Ross and Mrs. Ray Barthole, all of Plymouth county, and Miss Dorothy Bradley of Sioux City. ~ LeMars Globe-Post May 17, 1945 MOTHER OF WM. BRADLEY RECEIVED HIS ROSES MOTHERS DAY Was At Florist's To Buy Flowers In Memory of Son LINES WRITTEN ON MOTHER'S DAY BY MRS. K. BRADLEY IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM C. BRADLEY. My son, my son, for you the victory's won, But oh, for me the battle's just begun. With quiet fortitude, you faced The front. Thy will be done, O Lord, teach me to pray! My memories of you dear son; I count them one by one. Though you have left me, Still I feel you near, while in my mind There stands this picture clear— That brave young smile you gave me as you left: "Don't worry, Mother dear." Courage of which I now seem bereft. Yet somewhere in God's plan I know I'll find, (Because He gave His Son, as I gave mine) That "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men" For which, pray God, no blood shall e'er be shed again. --Amen. Mrs. Katherine Bradley received a bouquet of one dozen red roses on Mother's Day—her last gift from her son, Billy, one of the last Americans to be killed in action in Germany, while surrender negotiations were already going on. Mrs. Bradley had gone Saturday to Atwood, The Florist, to buy a bouquet of flowers in memory of her son. Mr. Atwood had been wrestling with a problem of his own. Some time ago he received an order from Billy Bradley to send a dozen red roses to his mother on Mother's Day. Should he fill the order, now that the War Department has announced Billy's death? That was Ray Atwood's problem, and it was causing him loss of sleep. He decided that it would be best to prepare Mrs. Bradley for what might be a shock. So when she stopped in at his place to order the flowers for Billy, he told her that the next day she would receive the roses Billy had ordered for her. Mrs. Bradley said later she was glade he had prepared her, because even then, when the roses arrived, they affected her overwhelmingly. Details as to how Billy met his death, and where he was buried were received by Mrs. Bradley in a letter from Chaplain Ernest E. Hever, written April 18, stamped May 2, and received May 10. Chaplain Hever says in part: "Cpl. William C. Bradley was killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell. At the time he was at an advanced night outpost across the Elbe river, not far from Barby, Germany. "Others saw the shell burst and rushed forward, finding him dead, having died instantly. To us he was a comrade in arms, faithful to his duties, and long to be remembered. Our country honors him as a man who laid down his life that others might enjoy its blessings. "William was laid to rest in an American military cemetery in Margraten, Holland. Appropriate funeral services were conducted by a protestant chaplain. Beneath a neat white cross, beside other brave comrades, he awaits the resurrection summons of the Prince of Peace." Mrs. Bradley also revealed that her other children, at Billy's special request, concealed from her the fact Billy was engaged in dangerous front-line combat. She thought he was doing relatively safe work toward the rear. Plymouth Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is CPL William C Bradley's memorial?
CPL William C Bradley's memorial is located at: Memorial Cemetery, Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA.
When did CPL William C Bradley death?
CPL William C Bradley death on 14 Apr 1945 in
Where are the coordinates of the CPL William C Bradley's memorial?
Latitude: 42.7875000
Longitude: -96.1504920

Family Members:

Parent

Claire L Bradley

(1878 - 1951)

Katherine M Schramm Bradley

(1888 - 1959)

Siblings

Lillian Violet Bradley

(1911 - 1949)

Lula Bradley Schultz

(1913 - 2003)

Irene LaVerne “Ike” Bradley Ross

(1918 - 2000)

Ruth M Bradley Barthole

(1921 - 1996)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Memorial Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7875000, -96.1504920

2. Calvary Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7939000, -96.1527100

3. Resthaven Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.8375015, -96.1686020

4. Seney Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.8586655, -96.1265106

5. Saint Catherines Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.8224200, -96.0563900

6. Saint Peter Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.8081017, -96.2767029

7. Hillside Cemetery
Merrill, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7291985, -96.2544022

8. Assumption Catholic Cemetery
Merrill, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7214480, -96.2583450

9. Stanton Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.6786003, -96.1900024

10. Saint Joseph Cemetery
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Coordinate: 42.8953018, -96.2005997

11. Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8514600, -96.2902600

12. Saint Marys Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8078003, -95.9781036

13. Remsen Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8058014, -95.9775009

14. Union Cemetery
Remsen, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6917000, -96.0291977

15. Plymouth Presbyterian Cemetery
Brunsville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8208760, -96.3318410

16. Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Adaville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7484000, -96.3315000

17. Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery
Neptune, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6447560, -96.1148360

18. Floyd Valley Cemetery
Hinton, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6556015, -96.2514038

19. Mathwig Wetrovsky Cemetery
Le Mars, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6338000, -96.1723000

20. Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
Hinton, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6330950, -96.1937720

21. Saint Johns Cemetery
Craig, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8939018, -96.3225021

22. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Johnson Township, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7416992, -96.3707962

23. Saint Marys Cemetery
Maurice, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9594002, -96.1769028

24. Saint Johns Lutheran Church Cemetery
Ruble, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8372000, -96.3799000