John A. Straw

  • ASN:
    35763232
  • DATE OF BIRTH
    Apr 26, 1909
  • DATE OF DEATH
    Dec 14, 1944
FULL NAME:

John A. Straw

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER (ASN):

35763232

  • DATE OF BIRTH: Apr 26, 1909
  • DATE OF DEATH: Dec 14, 1944
RESIDENCE (DURING WWII):

Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia

DATE / PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
  • DATE OF ENLISTMENT:
    Nov 10, 1943
  • PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
    Clarksburg, West Virginia
ORGANIZATION:
  • MAIN UNIT:
    9th Infantry Regiment
  • SUBUNIT:
    Company L, 3rd Battalion
RANK / POSITION IN UNIT (LAST KNOWN):
  • RANK:
    Private First Class (Pfc.)
  • POSITION IN UNIT:
    Rifleman
BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS:

✭ Normandy Campaign (6 June – 24 July 1944), ✭ 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)

DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS (AWARDS):

🎖Silver Star Medal, 🎖American Campaign Medal, 🎖European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, 🎖American Defense Service Medal, 🎖Combat Infantry Badge

STATUS:
  • CATEGORY:
    Missing in action (MIA)
  • DATE:
    Dec 14, 1944
  • LOCATION:
    Wahlerscheid Crossroads, Germany
HONORED BY:

Family of PFC John Straw

NARA - Display Full Records

File Unit: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)
in the Series: World War II Army Enlistment Records, created 6/1/2002 - 9/30/2002, documenting the period ca. 1938 - 1946. - Record Group 64 (info)

Brief Scope: This series contains records of approximately nine million men and women who enlisted in the United States Army, including the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

Source: aad.archives.gov/aad/
SOLDIER RECORD:
Full Name
John A Straw
Army Serial Number
35763232
Enlistment Place
Clarksburg West Virginia
Enlistment Date
10 Nov 1943
Army Branch
No branch assignment
Branch
Army
Race or Ethnicity
White
Residence
Summit County, Ohio
Enlistment Term
Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Source of Army Personnel
Civil Life
Army Component
Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Level of Education
Grammar school
Occupation
Semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor
Marital Status
Married
Birth Date
1909
Birth Place
West Virginia
Source Box Number
0988
Source Film Reel Number
5.50
Conflict Period
World War II
Served for
United States of America

ARTICLES

MISSING IN ACTION – PFC John A. Straw

December 14, 1944, the second day of the attack of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division at the fortified crossroads at Wahlerscheid near Rocherath-Krinkelt. A 35-year-old PFC John A. Straw, a member of Company L, is carefully crawling forward in the deep snow full of mines. Just a moment later PFC John Straw became missing in action but he is never forgotten. We can learn more about the course of events thanks to the official Silver Star commendation: “PFC Straw voluntarily attempted to knock out the pillbox with his bazooka. Working his way over open ground he maneuvered within firing range of the emplacement. As private first class Straw raised himself to fire the bazooka, the enemy opened fire and wounded him. Although members of the leading rifle platoon could see that PFC Straw was stricken, attempts to reach him proved futile due to the extremely vicious fire laid down by the enemy, and further attempt was denied as…

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