Raymond Martin Struckhoff
Raymond Martin Struckhoff was born 2-MAR 1918 in Augusta, St. Charles County, Missouri. His parents were Eugene Herman William Struckhoff (1882-1961) and Selma Schnaath Struckhoff (1890-1953). He had five brothers: Roland, Virgil, Edward, Elmer, and Melvin and six sisters: Agnes, Evaline, Margarete, Antoinette, Marcella and Rita. From 1920 through 1940 according to the Federal Census, the family lived on a farm in Femme Osage in St. Charles County, MO. He grew up and was educated in the Augusta area. Raymond was a farm boy. His family were tenant farmers. Raymond enlisted in the U.S. Army on 1-Apr 1942, just months after Pearl Harbor was attacked. He was 24 years old.
By December 1942, Raymond was in the Medical Corps in Texas. During World War II, medical personnel for the US Army were trained at several Medical Replacement Training Centers (MRTCs) including Camp Barkeley.
Raymond earned a Silver Star and Bronze Star as his unit traversed Europe.
Robert Cromie covered World War II for The Chicago Tribune, reporting the action of the Pacific Theater and marching through Europe with General George Patton’s Army. Returning from World War II service, Cromie often entered a battlefield by asking whether there were any soldiers from Chicago or Illinois, present, and he often helped carry wounded soldiers to safety. Like Ernie Pyle, Robert Cromie interviewed individual soldiers and wrote their stories for the people back home.
While with the 357th, Robert Cromie wrote an article about Raymond Struckhoff. Cromie was with the 90th division. Robert Cromie called Raymond Struckhoff, “The Hero Medic.”
For the rest of his story, click on the pdf below:
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