aznation Posted February 26, 2017 Share #1 Posted February 26, 2017 Joseph A. Wapner, a retired California judge whose flinty-folksy style of resolving disputes on the show “The People’s Court” helped spawn an entire genre of courtroom-based reality television with no-nonsense jurists and often clueless litigants, died Feb. 26 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 97. A grandson, Gabriel Wapner, confirmed the death but did not know the immediate cause. Judge Wapner had several strokes in recent years. After graduating in 1941 from the University of Southern California, Judge Wapner saw Army combat in the Pacific. While on Cebu, an island province in the Philippines, he was wounded by shrapnel from a grenade and risked his life to save a wounded soldier from being raked with machine gun fire. His decorations included the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Thank you for your service Judge, and may you rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted February 27, 2017 Share #2 Posted February 27, 2017 Wow. Who knew about his military service. Thank you for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted February 27, 2017 Share #3 Posted February 27, 2017 I wondered when i saw he was 97. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted February 27, 2017 Share #4 Posted February 27, 2017 Rest in peace Your Honor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted February 27, 2017 Share #5 Posted February 27, 2017 Rest In Peace soldier.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 1, 2017 Share #6 Posted March 1, 2017 Yes he was in the AMERICAL's 132nd Infantry, I think I saw that he had three campaign stars for his A&P ribbon, if so we can say he was on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and the Southern Philippines. I also remember reading in one of those soft cover paperback WW2 trivia books from the 80s how his unit once came under enemy artillery fire, and while running for cover was hit in the back, he had his pack on, a musette bag I imagine, but the splinter hit a C-ration can ripping it open, guess he wasn't so lucky the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted March 5, 2017 Share #7 Posted March 5, 2017 May he rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted May 31, 2023 Share #8 Posted May 31, 2023 As mentioned above, Joseph Wapner was in the AMERICAL Division, 132nd Infantry Regiment, serving as a Lieutenant and Infantry platoon leader. He served on Guadalcanal, in the Bougainville Campaign and the Philippines. He was wounded on Cebu by a sniper and received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor996 Posted May 31, 2023 Share #9 Posted May 31, 2023 Did not know this about his service, RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted May 31, 2023 Share #10 Posted May 31, 2023 Ditto, That adds another dimension of respect for his contributions. Hands down, he was the first and foremost TV judge and by far the most qualified of those that have come after him, with 18 years on the LA Superior Court bench from 1961 to 79, two of them as the presiding judge in charge of all the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copper252 Posted May 31, 2023 Share #11 Posted May 31, 2023 I didn't know he was in the Americal, I did check my records and he was in I Company, 132nd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted May 31, 2023 Share #12 Posted May 31, 2023 I didn’t know that he lived to 97 or that he was in WWII! RIP Judge Wapner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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