Brunner, Albert J.

ALBERT JOE BRUNNER

TEC 5
U.S. ARMY

Albert Joe Brunner was born on July 29, 1922 in Adams County, Decatur, Indiana. His father was Herman Brunner and his mother was Hazel Sapp. He had an older brother named Lester born in 1920, and a younger brother named Billy Dale born in 1924.They lived in Berne and Geneva, Indiana most of their lives. Albert Brunner went to Jefferson Center School and later Pleasant Mills High School for three years. The family attended Bobo United Brethren Church Albert and his brothers worked at home helping out on the farm. Though they worked on the farm, all the brothers were lanky. Albert was 67 inches tall and weighed in at only 125 pounds. After high school, Albert worked for the Adams County Highway Department.

On November 12, 1942, Albert enlisted into the U.S. Army in Toledo, Ohio. After completing training at Fort Riley in Kansas and Fort Bliss in Texas, Tec 5 Brunner was assigned to the the 302d Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Division. They fought in campaigns at Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea and Leyte, Luzon. When the 302d Cavalry Reconnaissance Sq. was sent across the Pacific they found themselves in New Guinea patrolling the coastal lines on Manus Island. In the final destruction of the Japanese, the 302d Cavalry Reconnaissance troop demonstrated its skill in hunting and ambushing an enemy in unknown and difficult territory. The troops then moved on to Leyte which they captured by the end of December in 1944. While in Leyte the 1st Cavalry was given the mission to rescue almost 4,000 American civilians interned at Manila by the Japanese. The 302d Cavalry Reconnaissance Sq. helped to form a flying spearhead on the rescue mission. They eventually overtook Manila also, which had been the main objective while in Leyte. After Manila was captured they then moved on to the Philippine Island of Luzon. 

The 302d Cavalry Reconnaissance Sq. took part in the liberation on of the Philippines from the Japanese. This was the beginning of the end for the Japanese. With the constant onslaught and fighting, eventually the Japanese were ready to surrender because of their lack of artillery and munitions to fight back. 

Albert Brunner was killed in action on March 31,1945 at the Battle of Luzon in the Philippine Islands. At the time of his death, he had served nearly two years overseas in the Pacific including Australia, New Guinea, the Admiralty Islands, Leyte and Manila. He was temporarily buried in the U.S. Armed Forces Cemetery in Batangas, Philippines. His body was returned to the states in 1949 and interred and in the MRE Cemetery in Berne, Indiana. Services were held on February 6, 1949 at the family home and graveside services were conducted by the Decatur American Legion and VFW Posts.  

For his service and sacrifice, Tec 5 Brunner was awarded the Purple Heart, the American Defense Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze stars, Good Conduct, WW2 Victory, Philippine Liberation Medal, and the Purple Heart. He served in nine battles that gave him one leaf and four star devices for his Asiatic Pacific Campaign ribbon. Brunner was also awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. 

Information researched and collected by Miranda Lockwood, 2015. 

SOURCES

"Capturing of Outlying Islands." Last Stages. United States Army, 28 June 2001. Web.11 Nov. 2015.

Fifer, Nancy. "Albert Brunner." Personal interview. 22 Nov. 2015.

Indiana Historical Bureau, comp. Gold Star Honor Roll: Adams County. Bloomington:Indiana War History Commission, 1949. Print. Vol. 1 of Indiana in World War II.

National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army EnlistmentRecords, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

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