Robert Rader

Staff sergeant Robert Rader (October 17, 1921 - December 30, 1998) was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. Rader was one of the 140 Toccoa men of Easy Company.

Rader's life story was featured in the 2010 book A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us.

Youth
Rader was born in Manchester, Ohio. He enlisted in the Ohio National Guard when he was 16. He was given an honorable discharge although he was discovered to be underage. He graduated from high school in 1942.

Military service
Rader enlisted in the army and volunteered for paratrooper with two hometown friends, Donald Hoobler and William Howell. The three were sent to Camp Toccoa and became three of the 140 original Toccoa men of Easy Company, and trained under Captain Herbert Sobel. The three called themselves three hillbillies because they were all country boys. They also befriended William Dukeman.

Rader made his first combat jump into Normandy on D-Day. He also participated in the Operation Market Garden in September 17, 1944 in the Netherlands.

Rader also participated in the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne. On Christmas Eve, Rader and Hoobler volunteered for outpost duty as a Christmas present to their comrades. Rader fought with his unit until the end of the war. He was discharged in November 1945.

Rader was awarded medals including 2 Bronze Stars for his actions.

Later years
Rader obtained his bachelor degree in education in Cedarville College in Ohio. He became a teacher and taught the handicapped at Paso Robles High School in Carlifornia for more than thirty years. He met Lucille when he was in California and the two got married in February 14, 1953.

Rader died on April 7, 1997. A few years after his death, the people of Paso Robles had a bridge renamed the Robert J. Rader Memorial Bridge in Rader's honor.