Schreier, John Lawrence, 1921-1945

John L. Schreier grew up in the Rice Street area of St. Paul. He was the third son, and the fifth of six children born to George (1889-1930) and Theresa (1888-1980) Schreier. His siblings included Anna Marie (1911-1930), George (1912-1924), Barbara Catherine (1915-2001), Frank H. (1919-2002), and Marcella (1925- ).

His parents immigrated to the United States from Austria around 1911, initially settling near Currie, Minnesota. They later moved to St. Paul, where the elder Schreier worked for the Northern Pacific Railway. John attended St. Bernard's Catholic school in St. Paul, graduating in 1937. He then attended St. Paul Boys Vocational School, where he studied carpentry. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in northern Minnesota on a reforesting project near Cloquet. He was also employed by Swift & Company in South St. Paul, Minnesota.

Schreier was drafted in late 1942 out of Fort Snelling, joining the 94th Infantry Division,319th Engineer Combat Battalion, Company B. He trained at Camp Phillips, Kansas and at Camp McCain, Mississippi in 1943-1944. The Division shipped out in August 1944. They trained in England and then departed to France to add support after the D-Day invasion, remaining there the last three months of 1944. They then moved on to Germany where the Division assisted General George Patton's 3rd Army in the Battle of the Bulge. Schreier was killed during the Battle of the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) on January 23, 1945 and was buried in Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, an American military cemetery in Luxembourg.