US AIRBORNE

James L. LaPrade was born on April 5th, 1914 to Kenedy, Texas. He was the son of James T. and Lillian LaPrade. He was a brother, Robert M. LaPrade who was Lieutenant in Marine and who died to Guadalcanal.

James had brilliant one military career:

Reserve Officer Training Corps

Citizens Military Training Camps.

Compagnie C / 9th Infantry / Fort Sam / Houston

41st et 68th Service Squadron au Kelly Field / Texas

In July 1935, he enters to USMA.

Being went out of the Academy (Regional education authority) of West Point but before joining the 101st Airborne, James LaPrade was of use to the Company G of the 29th Infantry to Fort Benning.

Then to the Company B of the 501st PIB / HQ of the 502th PIB / Academic Bn ISSU / EXO of ASPS / Airborne Command / Line officer of same / Detached Service to HQ AAF Materiel Center /  EXO H&H 513th PIR / Bn C.O. 1st Bn 542nd PIB / Bn C.O. 1st Parachute Training Rgt /  EXO of replacement unit shipped to ETO / then Regtl S-4 ( After the Campaign of Normandy) He took the command of the 1st Battalion of the 506th PIR in Holland and to Bastogne.

In December, 44, during the Battle of the Ardennes, James LaPrade had installed his HQ to Noville. On December 19th, 1944, James L LaPrade was killed when the German artillery opened the fire on Noville. Shell fell on its HQ. His skin is buried to West Point since 1949. His wife, Mary, never knows remarried, she died on July 4th, 1999.

General Taylor in said about him: “it was one of the best commanding that I had during the Second World war.”

General McAuliffe called him:  “the best commander of Battalion of all the division.”