STRALKA, Paul Anthony Jr

Name: Paul Anthony STRALKA Jr

Born 20 October 1914

Birthplace: Delano, Minnesota

Age at arrival in Buchenwald: 29

Died 31 August 1993 in Superior, Wisconsin, age 78

Service: USAAF

Service ID: 36811023

Service Rank: Staff Sergeant

Duties: Gunner

Air Group: 8th Air Force, 801st Bomb Group, 850th Bomb Squadron

Airbase: Harrington, Northamptonshire UK

Aircraft: B-24 42-95170

Date shot down: 5 July 1944

Fate of crew: 1 captured immediately, 5 evaded; of those, 4 captured and sent to Fresnes Prison and Buchenwald (DENARO, GRANBERY, Stralka, and SALO).

Evasion summary: Very limited information. Stralka mentions being sent to Paris by car from Dreux

Date captured: 13 July 1944

Capture summary: Arrested with GRANBERY, probably with DENARO and SALO as well (unconfirmed).

Boxcar Transport: 15-20 August 1944, in boxcar # with

Buchenwald ID: 78268

Notes on Buchenwald internment:

Transferred from Buchenwald to: Stalag Luft III, Center Compound

Kriege ID: recorded on rolls as 8293, but given number sequence in this camp it is more likely to be 8193

Notes on SLIII internment:

Subsequent transfer to: Stalag XIII-D, Nurnberg.

Notes on internment: Forced march and boxcar to Stalag VIIA 2-16 April 1945.

Liberation: 29 April 1945 by units of Patton’s Third Army.

Repatriation from ETO:

Discharged:

VA status:

Notes on Post-War period: