Karl F Moessner

Promoted

LT. COL. KARL MOESSNER
Karl F. Moessner, son of C. F. Moessner, 534 Lake Street, has been promoted from Major to Lieutenant Colonel. For the past year, he has been stationed in England.

Previous to this overseas assignment, he was stationed at Fort Custer, MI.

Lieutenant Colonel Moessner was graduated from the Eau Claire Senior High School and Ripon College.

Lieutenant Colonel Karl Moessner
receives Legion of Merit from General George Patton

Another Third Ward area resident, Karl F. Moessner, played an important role in planning the evacuation of prisoners taken by American forces during the invasion of Europe that began with D-Day.

At Ripon College, before the war began, Moessner was a member of the Reserves Officer Training Corps; he graduated in 1932.

On April 25, 1941, he was called to active duty as a Captain and was assigned to the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Custer, Michigan. He was transferred to overseas duty on May 27, 1943 and was assigned to the European Theater of Operations and the planning staff of British General Morgan in London. There, he experienced the thrill of being presented to the Royal Family for a visit.

In 1944, he was transferred to the staff of General Eisenhower. Eisenhower was responsible for planning the invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord) that began on D-Day. While on his staff (the first US Army Group), Moessner wrote the plan for handling and evacuation of prisoners of war for Operation Overlord.

Sometime after D-Day, Moessner, now a Colonel, transferred to the continent to serve on the staff of General Omar Bradley. He supervised the handling and evacuation of 4,762,896 prisoners of war taken by the 12th US Army Group. He was also responsible for interpreting and enforcing the provisions of the Geneva Convention that dictate the treatment of prisoners of war taken by, or turned over to, the American forces.

In 1945, when he served on the staff of General Patton and the Theater General Board, Colonel Moessner wrote the Prisoner of War portion of the History of World War II in the European Theater of Operations. This is the official Army publication that details the history of World War II.

In 1945, Karl Moessner received the Legion of Merit medal that was presented to him by General Patton.

After the war, Moessner served briefly in the Pentagon. He retired from active service in August 1946. Moessner was active in Eau Claire civic affairs and served on the city's Board of Education for many years.