William P. "Bill" Straitiff was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, the oldest of 4 children. When he was in the 8th grade he moved to Fairchance, PA. He worked in the coal mines. Straitiff left Fairchance and on December 31, 1942 in Uniontown, PA., Straitiff enlisted in the paratroops and started training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. He joined Able Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division later on. He made his first combat jump on D-Day as part of the Allied invasion of France. Bill fought in the town of Ravenoville France, later he participated in the attack on Carantan France. Bill later parachuted into Holland for Operation Market Garden. Bill and Able company arrived at Mourmelon-le-Grand, just outside Reims, where the 101st was on R and R (rest and recuperation), about December 10, just before the company was sent to the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, on December 16. Straitiff was wounded in December 1944 when Able company was fighting in Noville. Straitiff recovered from his wounds and fought the last part of the Battle of the Bulge with Able Company. After Bastogne , Bill and Able company moved through Germany where they found a Concentration Camp in Landsberg, Germany. He participated in the raid on Himmelgeist. He survived that. Then his unit moved to Berchesgaden, Hitler's mountain top retreat. He retired in the military service on November 19, 1945 with a Sergeant position. He died on April 10, 1999 and is now buried in Mountain View Memorial Park, Brownfield, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA.