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Stroh Harry R.

Name:
Harry R. Stroh
Rank:
Major
Serial Number:
O-025809
Unit:
378th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group
Date of Death:
1944-08-27
State:
Michigan
Cemetery:
USMA Cemetery, West Point, New York
Plot:
Section VII
Row:
A
Grave:
033
Decoration:
Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with twelve Oak Leaf Cl
Comments:

Major Harry R. Stroh, only son of MG and Mrs. Donald A Stroh, was born in Honolulu on 31 August 1920. He graduated from West Point in January 1943 and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps. He had 750 hours of pilot time to his credit, including nearly 200 hours of combat flying. On his last mission, he took off from A-27 Rennes/St-Jacques-de-la-Lande in his P-47 Thunderbolt 42-76597 on a low-altitude reconnaissance mission over Brest at the head of the Firebrick Yellow section. His plane was hit by flak at 1730 as witnessed by 2nd Lt Wilbert A Edwards. He crashed behind enemy lines and his body was not recovered until the 8th Division troops, commanded by his father, captured the area about three weeks later. His father saw the crash without knowing it was him, and was later temporarily relieved of his command during the Hürtgen Forest offensive in order to grieve for his son. Maj Strohe was originally buried in the American cemetery near St James, Avranches Province, France and posthumously awarded the rank of Major

From: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net:
Harry Richard Stroh was born on August 31, 1920 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the son of Major General and Mrs. Donald A Stroh. He was graduated in January 1943 from the United States Military Academy. He served in the 378th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group as a Captain during World War II. On August 27, 1944, Cpt Stroh took off from airfield A-27 in Rennes–Saint-Jacques, France on a mission to Brest, leading the the Firebrick section "Yellow". His plane was hit by hostile antiaircraft fire while he was flying reconnaissance at a low altitude. He crashed in Kergaradec - Cne de Gouesnou (1 km S) - 3km north-east of Brest, around 5:30PM and his body was not recovered until the 8th Division troops captured the area about three weeks later. Originally buried in American cemetery near St James, Avranches Province, France, he is now buried in the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, Orange County, New York, USA. Cpt Stroh was appointed Major posthumously.