La Crosse-area WWII POW brought home for burial, military honors 82 years later

Flags all over Wisconsin were flown at half-staff Monday, in memory of a La Crosse-area soldier, who was buried, 82 years after his death in World War II.

Sergeant Jack Hohlfeld was raised in La Crosse and Trempealeau Counties, and served in the Army Air Force in the Philippines during the war.

Hohlfeld was taken prisoner by the Japanese. After his capture, Hohlfeld was part of the Bataan death march in the Philippines, died of illness in a prison camp at 35, and was buried in a mass grave.

Hohlfeld’s remains were recently returned to his family by the Armed Forces. His funeral was held Monday at St. Patrick’s Church in Onalaska.

During the service, Monsignor Steven Kachel spoke of Hohlfeld’s heroism.

Kachel said “a real hero is one who has courage, who is self-sacrificing for doing what is just and right.”

Sharon Graw, Hohlfeld’s niece, worked 12 years to have his remains brought back to the family.

Her husband, Ron Graw, said the remains of six people had been put together in one grave at the prison camp.

Genetic testing led to the quick identification of a few of the deceased, but Ron Graw said some of the bones were “co-mingled and mixed,” and he thinks the DNA led to the full identification of them.

Word came from the government a few weeks ago that Hohlfeld had been identified.

During the burial service at La Crosse’s Catholic Cemetery, a bugler played Taps as military planes few over the site.

Sharon Graw was presented with the U.S. flag that had draped her uncle’s casket. Hohlfeld’s grave is located a short distance from where his parents are buried at the same cemetery.