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Personal info

Full name
STRALEY, Earl E
Date of birth
27 May 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Butler County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Butler County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13009904
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
14th Troop Carrier Squadron,
61st Troop Carrier Group
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
Bocholt, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 13 12

Immediate family

Members
Early E. Straley (father)
Margarita C. (Vinroe) Straley (mother)
Virginia E. Straley (sister)
Gene L. Straley (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-93798
Data
Type: C-47A
Destination: Drop Zone A, near Wesel, Germany
Mission: Paratrooper drop
MACR: 13507

More information

S/Sgt Earl E. Straley graduated from Butler High School in 1940.

He enlisted in the Regular Army Air Corps on 16 Augusr 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As the planes exited the DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of traces fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from around the wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded. There was evidence of one parachute coming out of the plabe at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed.

He died in Stalag VI-F.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Pennsylvania veterans burial cards, www.fold3.com

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Dominique Poitier, Mary Lou Peake, Butler High School 1940