Joseph Katulka

United States army 1941-1946

World War II

Captain

american Defense service medal

After serving with the Civilian Conservation Corps, Joseph worked in a restaurant to help his mother and siblings during the Great Depression. In January, 1941, Joseph Katulka entered the United States Army. When asked about his civilian job experience the Army decided his best role in the military would be in the mess hall. So, it happened. He took pride in his cooking abilities and was rewarded with many accolades by inspecting officers. His career in the military then took an unexpectant turn when, following an inspection by a Lt. Col., he was told his next assignment would be to cook for this officer on a permanent basis. Joseph found the proposal unsuitable and chose to respectfully decline by enrolling in Officer Candidate School at Camp Hood, Texas. This was an extremely daunting assignment for someone who only attended one year of high school, but he graduated and received his 2nd Lt. commission on February 25, 1943. Following his commissioning he enrolled in Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on April 17, 1944. He was promoted to Captain of a Tank Destroyer Company at Camp Hood, Texas, and deployed to the Philippines in September 1945. When Japan surrendered in August, 1945, Joseph was returned to the United States on January 9, 1946 and subsequently discharged from the military on January 31, 1946.