Major Ralph Burton Praeger was born 7 Apr 1914 in Claflin, Barton County, Kansas to Herman (1884-1961) Gertrude nee Grizzell (1886-1973) Praeger. Herman’s parents were born in Germany. Ralph was one of five children: Walter, Kenneth, Herman and Gweneth.

As listed below, Ralph graduated from high school and West Point in 1938. He married Verda Ames on 15 July 1938 at West Point. They had a son Ralph Praeger Jr b 1941.

Comments of Colonel Ralph Praeger, Jr (USAAF Ret):

“To increase his chances of obtaining an appointment, he attended college classes in Sterling. Finally, two years later, his dream was fulfilled…he had secured his long sought appointment to West Point… in the summer of 1934.

“He desperately wanted to be a pilot. Unfortunately, he was unable to fulfill this dream because of a depth perception problem. Fate then intervened. The Army then sent him to the Presidio in San Francisco. This was a holding position for his ultimate assignment to the 26th Cavalry, Philippine Scouts at Fort Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands.

“As the war clouds gathered in 1940, then Captain Praeger was appointed the commander of Troop C, 26 Cavalry, Philippine Scouts, stationed at Fort Stotensburg north of Manila.

“All of that changed abruptly on the morning of December 8, 1941…. A short time later, they learned that the Japanese had attack Pearl Harbor. Soon the bombs began falling around them at Clark Air Base and Ft. Stotsenburg. War had come and their lives were about to change drastically - challenging both to the absolute limits of human survival. They were just 27 years old.

“[They decided to stay and disregard orders] they were going to be operating entirely upon his own without logistical support or potential for reinforcement. He would be solely dependent upon the equipment and food he and his men could carry or obtain from the land and its people. During the next two weeks, they walked over 115 miles north to the Cagayan Province where on January 12, 1942 they attack the Japanese Army Garrison near Tuguegarao. The attack was a success and inflicted heavy casualties upon the Japanese. [Probably] the first offensive operation against the Japanese after Pearl Harbor….When Captain Takahashi captured my Dad, the Japanese officer came to attention and remarked, “A very brave thing you have done for your country.” With their capture, radio contact with the Philippines was lost for many months.

“Both men then endured the harsh treatment in various Japanese internment camps-lasting for more than a year for my Dad and nearly two years for Tom. My Dad was executed by the Japanese for war crimes against the state of Japan in late 1944. He was just 30 years old.”

MAJ Praeger was declared dead 31 Dec 1944 in the Philippines. He colleague and friend Captain Tom Jones survived the ordeal. MAJ Praeger was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. There is a stone to remember him at Rose Hill Cemetery, Claflin, Barton County, Kansas.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find a Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of the WWII fallen. SBTSProject/Kansas/Barton

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please email feedback@storiesbehindthestars.org.

Sources:

Find a grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60253226/ralph-burton-praeger

1920 census: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/114647620:6061?tid=&pid=&queryId=7bcb6089dffc61b5a4be857a11045f90&_phsrc=swB9&_phstart=successSource

1930 census: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/32401139:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=25ad31c9a5c95907e01274cb5896b02d&_phsrc=swB6&_phstart=successSource

POW listing: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/21666:2178?tid=&pid=&queryId=7bcb6089dffc61b5a4be857a11045f90&_phsrc=swB11&_phstart=successSource

Praeger, Ralph Birton, MAJ