Paul Kenan "PK" Courtad was born on March 7, 1921, in Wyandot County, Ohio, to Loren and Mitilda (Enders) Courtad. He graduated in 1939 from Upper Sandusky High School. He is a member of Transfiguration of the Lord Catholic Church.

Paul worked as a machine shop turret lathe operator at National Steam Pump Company until October 24, 1942, when he was inducted into the United States Army Air Force basic training in Atlantic City, NJ. He attended airplane mechanic school at Seymoure Johnson Field, NC, then attended gunner school at Ft. Myers, FL, then on to Geiger Field in Washington, DC.

Paul Kenan served in the 615th Bomber Squadron, 401st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Right Waist Gunner on the B-17 #42-40002 'Breezing Home.' On June 19, 1944, his crew took off from Station 128 in Deenethorpe, England, for a mission to bomb the Bordeaux-Mérignac airfield in France. Hit by flak at around 10:00H, their plane developed mechanical problems (1 engine on fire - 2 others out of order - oil pressure). The plane was completely evacuated at 8,000 feet. Fortunately, all members survived the crash and the war. Their airplane crashed in Le Pouyau - 4 km south of Lesparre-Médoc. Based on the records, eight members were captured by the Germans before being released in Angoulêmes and returned to the UK. Two have evaded the capture. SSgt Courtad was one of the POWs.

SSgt Courtad died on February 3, 2008, at the age of 86. He is now buried in the Saint Peters Catholic Cemetery, Upper Sandusky, Wyandot County, Ohio, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net