Louis Ball (Ludwig Smargad) was born on March 10, 1922 in Vienna, Austria to Julian and Leah. When the Germans took Vienna, he and his brother managed to escape to Switzerland and from there to the US. His parents stayed in Vienna and were killed there.
Living with relatives in New York, he finished high school, entered college and completed his training as an optician. At the age of 21 he became an American citizen, changed his name to Louis and joined the US army. In December 1947 - following his brother Sam - he arrived in Israel, having come on an illegal refugee ship, caught by the British and interned in Cyprus. His brother made arrangements for him to live on Kibbutz Maayan Baruch in order to learn Hebrew. From there he went to Degania and joined the Palmach and fought in numerous engagements in many parts of the country.
He fell in the first attack on Iraq Sueidad on July 9, 1948 and was reinterred in the cemetery in Nachlat Yitzchak on January 23,1951.
