Ernest Hautala

Era: World War II

Military Branch: Army

Ernest Hautala of Buhl, Minnesota, was inducted into the Army on Dec. 12, 1942 at Fort Snelling, Minn.

He served as a Private First Class in the 3707th Quartermaster Truck Company in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe.

"We went through five campaigns in the ETO, including the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), came through the Rhineland and Germany where we met the Russians on the Elbe River. Hauled supplies to the front and POWs to the rear. Although we were not a combat unit, we were strafed and machine gunned a few times."

Mr. Hautala was awarded the: Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal with five bronze battle stars, World War II Victory Medal and three overseas service bars.

He was honorably discharged on Nov. 27, 1945 at Camp McCoy, Wis.

Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 107.

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