Military
1st Lt Paul Dwain Straw :- Air medal award card. 351BG.
Maj General Paul D. Straw
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post War: Remained in USAF serving in Korean and Vietnam conflicts, rising to Major General.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 351st Bomb Group
Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Bernburg in B-17 42-31612 22-Feb-44; shot down by flak, crew baled out and pilot made a wheels up landing near Aachen. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2657
Awards: AM, GC, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Mid Continental Airways Modification Center, Denver 28/11/43; Kearney 17/12/43; Syracuse 2/1/44; Presque Is 4/1/44;
...
Military site : airfield
Polebrook was laid down for RAF Bomber Command use in 1940-1941. Built by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, it had short runways which were lengthened for USAAF heavy bomber use. The RAF used the base for operational trials - including of B-17 Flying...
Other location
Other location
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Hewins, KS | 1 January 1924 |
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Son of H F Straw. |
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| Enlisted | Fort Leavenworth, KS | 8 May 1942 |
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Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |
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| Based | Polebrook | 1943 – 22 February 1944 |
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Assigned to 510BS, 351BG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Commissioned | 30 August 1943 | |
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Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant. |
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| Prisoner of War (POW) | Barth, Germany | 22 February 1944 – May 1945 |
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Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. |
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| Discharged USAF | 17 October 1977 | |
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Honourable discharge. Retired from USAF. |
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| Died | 19 March 1994 | |
| Buried | Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Bexar County, TX | 23 March 1994 |
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Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery |
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