Leo Prokopf - born Jan 19, 1907 in Altenbruch, Germany (also written Oberaltenbruch, Unterfranken, Germany) to Ludwig Prokopf and Charlotta Dick. He seems to have lived his entire early life in Altenbruch, as he also gave that city as his last permanent address. When he was 19 he resolved to move to the United States. He received his visa (#41670) in Stuttgart on September 23, 1926 and boarded the SS Derfflinger in Bremen, Germany on October 23, 1926, arriving in New York City on November 3. On the ship manifest he noted that he was a "Baker" and planned to join his cousin, Alma Stadler, in Milwaukee. He gave her address as 1753 5th St., Milwaukee. His physical description at that time was given as 5'9", fair complexion with brown hair and blue eyes.
Alma Stadler was born in Wisconsin in October 1899. Her father was Frank Staddler, a tinman, born in Germany in July 1860. Her mother was Amelia, born in Germany in February 1868 and immigrated to the United States in 1882. She also had several siblings, all born in Wisconsin - Amelia, born March 1889; Frank Xavier, born January 28, 1892 in Milwaukee; Theresa "Tessie" born March 1896; and Rose born 1902. In 1920 Alma was working as a stenographer in a law office and her sister Rose was working as a dental assistant. This was Leo's family in America, whom he had probably never met before arriving in 1926.
He enlisted in the United States army, for the first time, on April 15, 1929. Exactly one year later he is listed in the US Federal Census as a member of Battery "C", 2nd Coast Artillary at Fort Sherman Post, Cristobal District, Panama Canal Zone. He is listed in that record as age 23. His records at the US, Department of Veterans Affairs say that he was released on April 4, 1932. But oddly he was sentenced to five years in prison for sodomy and escape on January 12, 1934 as a military prisoner. He was transferred to Alcatraz from USDB Pacific Branch on June 19, 1934 with a parole date of September 12, 1935 which he did not pass. His minimum date of sentence was September 22, 1937 with a maximum date of January 11, 1939. He had no detainers and no known prior criminal record. He was transferred to USP Leavenworth on August 8, 1936.
Upon his release he most likely returned to Milwaukee. After the outbreak of the second world war he reenlisted in the army on February 26, 1943 and was discharged on September 1, 1943.
Leo died on November 13, 1976 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His social security was issued in Wisconsin before 1951, his Social Security number was 398-09-4752.