Louis R. Sonaglia
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Louis R. Sonaglia was inducted into the Army on April 28, 1942, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Home at entry: Hibbing, Minnesota.
He served as a Corporal and telephone and telegraph lineman with Company A of the 440th Signal Battalion (Construction) of the 32nd Infantry Division in Papua, Southern Philippines, Luzon, Leyte, and New Guinea (Battle of Buna, February-May 1943).
He was awarded the following: Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze battle stars, World War II Victory Medal, five overseas service bars, and Philippine Liberation Medal with one bronze star.
Commended for gallantry in the Philippine, "when unit attacked by Japanese ground forces under cover of darkness and, completely surprised by the attack, gave battle to the enemy preventing the enemy from gaining access to the 44th General Hospital until reinforcements arrived."
Mr. Sonaglia was honorably discharged on September 12, 1945, at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 302.
