Paul M. Bittner was born in 1920 in Wisconsin. He was the son of Fred A. Bittner and Meta C. Bittner. He resided in Dodge County, Wisconsin prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on September 23, 1941, prior to the war, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Architect and also as Single, without dependents. Paul served as a Corporal and Radio Operator on C-87 #43-30555, 98th Transport Squadron, 28th Transport Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

Paul was declared "Missing In Action" when his C-87 went out of control and crashed near the India and Chinese border during the war, it was September 29, 1943. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until September 30, 1944, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov