Harry B Ladner Jr, a nephew of Judge Grover C Ladner of the Orphans Court of Philadelphia County, who rose to become Justice of The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania-was an outstanding hockey player at West Philadelphia High School, and went on to play professional hockey with the West Virginia Comets.

At the age of just 20, he graduated from the George Barr Umpire School and was assigned to the Arkansas-Missouri league in 1938. In 1939, he umpired in the Mountain State League, and the Appalachian League, and was assigned to the Piedmont League for the 1942 season, prior to entering into military service with the Army on March 20, 1942.

Staff Sergeant Ladner served with the 77th "Liberty" Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater and participated in the invasions of Guam, Leyte, the Phillippine Islands, and Okinawa. After 14 months of overseas duty, he was killed amid stiff Japanese resistance on the island of Ie Shima off Okinawa on April 18, 1945, the same day and close to where famed war correspondent Ernie Pylye lost his life.

Harry B Ladner Jr is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery
Bala Cynwyd
Montgomery County
Pennsylvania, USA