Joseph Willis Howard, son of Willis and Elnora "Nora" (Davis) Howard, was born June 5, 1915 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He moved to California sometime between 1920 and 1930 and married Ruth Elizabeth Anderson on November 3, 1941. He registered for the draft October 29, 1940 and enlisted in the Army August 5, 1941 at Sacramento. At that time he was working as a baker. He took his basic training at Camp Roberts, California, attended infantry training at Fort Benning Georgia and graduated officers candidate school in October 1942. He departed for the ETO in January 1943 and joined Company F, 137th Infantry Regiment February 15, 1945 when the unit was at Braunrath, Germany. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge March 1, 1945. 1st Lt Joseph W Howard was killed in action March 9, 1945 in the vicinity of Ossenberg, Germany. He is buried at Belmont Memorial Park, Fresno, California.