BIW - Walter Lake

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Those Who Died That Others Might Be Free

Purple Heart

Walter Lake

Date and Place of Birth: 1919 Richmond, Indiana
Date and Place of Death: July 26, 1944 Les Haies, France
Baseball Experience: Minor League
Position: Catcher
Rank: First Lieutenant
Military Unit: Anti-tank Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Area Served: European Theater of Operations

Walter Lake was one of Richmond, Indiana's most promising ballplayers in the late 1930s, but his life was destined to end on a battlefield in France.

Walter E Lake was born in Richmond, Indiana in 1919. He was an outstanding catcher for Morton High School and the local American Legion team. Lake signed with the Cleveland Indians right out of high school and was assigned to their Mid-Atlantic League team at Springfield but was soon sent to the Oswego Netherlands of the Canadian-American League where he batted .313.

In 1939 he was with the Tyler Trojans of the East Texas League and the Abbeville A's of the Evangeline League.

In January 1941, Lake was called into military service and attended Officer's Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he graduated as a second lieutenant in September 1942. He then joined the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Bullis, Texas. ¹

In October 1943, Lake left his young wife, Virginia, and four-month old son, Walter Jr, and was sent overseas. He was briefly stationed in Northern Ireland and England, and arrived at Normandy on June 8, 1944. ²

On July 26, as the German's were making a last desperate stand against the Allied forces near the village of Les Haies in the Cerisy Forest, Lieutenant Lake was fatally wounded. He was evacuated to an Army hospital where he died later the same day. ³

Unfortunately, Lake's wife, Virginia, received a telegram and then a letter from the War Department on August 11 (16 days after his death), stating that her husband had been "seriously wounded in action" and "knowing your desire to have a letter reach him as soon as possible, you should use the following temporary address." ⁴

This cruel glimmer of hope was finally ended when a further telegram and letter dated August 17 arrived at Virginia's home. "I deeply regret that it is necessary to confirm ... the death of your husband, First Lieutenant Walter E Lake ... who died on 26 July 1944 in France as a result of wounds received in action on that date," stated the Adjutant General, Major General J A Ulio. ⁵

1st Lt Walter E Lake

Virginia, not surprisingly, was shocked and dismayed at how this terrible confusion could happen. She immediately wrote to her husband's commanding officer wanting to know the circumstances surrounding her husband's death. The letter was forwarded to the War Department for reply. "I fully appreciate your desire to know the circumstances attending your husband's death," wrote Brigadier General Edward W Witsell, "and I regret the confusion occasioned by the letter of 11 August 1944. An additional report has been received in the War Department which states that Lieutenant lake was seriously wounded in action on 26 July 1944 and was evacuated to an Army hospital, where every possible medical assistance was administered, but his death occurred later that day as a result of his wounds." ⁶

Walter Lake is buried at the United States Military Cemetery in St Laurent, France. In February 1945, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. His citation read "He distinguished himself by heroic achievements in connection with military operations against the enemy in Normandy, on 26 July 1944." ⁷⁹

Not until January 1947, did Virginia see the place where Walter rests, in a photograph of the cemetery at St Laurent sent by the War Department. "It is my sincere hope that you may gain some solace from this view of the surroundings in which your loved one rests," wrote Brigadier General G A Horkan. "As you can see, this is a place of simple dignity, neat and well cared for." ⁸

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Notes

1 unidentified press clipping
2 ibid

3 From D+1 to 105: The Story of the 2nd Infantry Division (Desfosses-Neogravure 1944)
4 Letter from The War Department to Virginia Lake dated August 11, 1944
5 Letter from The War Department to Virginia Lake dated August 17, 1944
6 Letter from The War Department to Virginia Lake dated October 6, 1944
7 Letter from The War Department to Virginia Lake dated February 3, 1945
8 Letter from The War Department to Virginia Lake dated January 31, 1947

Added July 15, 2006. Updated January 23, 2008.

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