RESIDENCE (DURING WWII):
Oneida, Illinois
FULL NAME:
Harry A. Strawhacker
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER (ASN):
36764773
- DATE OF BIRTH: Mar 6, 1915
- DATE OF DEATH: Mar 2, 1992
DATE / PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
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DATE OF ENLISTMENT:Aug 6, 1943
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PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:Knox County, Illinois
ORGANIZATION:
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MAIN UNIT:23rd Infantry Regiment
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SUBUNIT:Company A, 1st Battalion
RANK / POSITION IN UNIT (LAST KNOWN):
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RANK:Private First Class (Pfc.)
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POSITION IN UNIT:Light Machine Gunner
BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS:
✭ Northern France Campaign (25 July – 14 September 1944), ✭ Ardennes-Alsace Campaign (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945), ✭ Rhineland Campaign (15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945), ✭ Central Europe Campaign (22 March – 11 May 1945)
DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS (AWARDS):
🎖Silver Star Medal, 🎖Purple Heart, 🎖Good Conduct Medal, 🎖American Campaign Medal, 🎖European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, 🎖WWII Victory Medal, 🎖Combat Infantry Badge
SUMMARY OF HIS SERVICE:
Harry Alvin Strawhacker entered into the US Army Infantry in Knox Co., Illinois on Aug 27 1943. He joined the 2nd Infantry Division, Company A, 23rd Inf. Regiment on 27 Aug 1944 after completing one year of training. Earning his Combat Infantryman Badge Expert with M1 Rifle decoration. He suffered an eye injury on Nov 10, 1944 and was treated at 107th Evac. Hospital in Belguim and returned to his unit soon after. On Dec 16, 1944 his unit was involved with the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennnes. Here he was awarded a Silver Star for his actions during the battle. It was during this battle he was taken prisoner and taken to Stalag 13C in Hammelburg Germany.
Here he had escaped from the camp after one of Patton's tank units attempted to rescue an officer related to Patton. Harry stated that he and another GI made it to a Farm and was about to eat his first meal since becoming a POW. The Gestapo halted the meal being served and brought the GI back to Stalag 13C, where Harry described the following treatment as ‘Hell’ and would be subject to cruel treatment by the camp guards.
He was liberated and returned to the states on May 15, 1945 and was in a hospital until his separation in Dec 1945.
