US AIRBORNE
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- William "Bill" P. Straitiff
Many thanks to Brett Hickle to have told me everything he knew about his uncle.
William P.Straitiff was born on the 26th of March 1922 in Fairchance, PA. He was the eldest of a family of 4 children.
Bret Hickle only knows one anecdote about his childhood :
“He found an musical instrument in a charity sell at church. The minister told Uncle Bill if he could play a song within a week, he would be given another musical instrument. When he was in Autria, Uncle Bill was part of the band.”
William joined the paratroopers on the 31st of December 1942. He then joined the 3rd platoon of A Company in the 1st Battalion 506th PIR 101st Airborne.
“I do not know why he chose the paratroopers, I just know that Uncle Bill was robust and he liked a bit of challenge”.
“Bill” Straitiff did not speak that much about this part of his life :
“I also know he jumped over Normandy and Holland, he fought in Bastogne and Germany. I do not know what he did in Normandy and Holland. The only thing I know is that he was wounded in Normandy. I think it happened before the Division left France because he was not send back in England with the others”.
In Bastogne, Don Straith told me he remembered him when they met at the help station. He was lying on a stretcher completely shocked.
Grady Boykin remembered Uncle Bill was the chief of a section during a patrol when planes were flying over them. Bill yelled “cover”, the planes started firing but fortunately nobody got injured.
William P.Straitiff received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the European Campaign Medal w/ Arrowhead and four battle stars,the WWII Victory Medal, the WWII Occupation Medal with Austria Clasp, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachute Badge Basic with two battle stars and an arrow head. Then he also received 3 Presidential Unit Citations.
In 1947, he married Nevada Victor but they never had children.
After the war, Bill work as a car builder.
William “Bill” P.Straitiff died on the 10th of April 1999.
Photo taken in Germany. Straitiff is the first to the right.