Born and raised in Aurora, IA. After High School he went to Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. In 1941, the year after he graduated college he enlisted in the military and was sent to flying schools and training in various locations around the country. His aviation training complete, he was sent overseas in May of 1943. He is shot down one year later, in Dessau, Germany. He dies a few weeks prior to his 28th birthday.
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Obituary
Funeral services were held posthumously for Lt. Paul Scharff Tuesday. He was killed in action over Germany six years ago.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scharff, Paul was born in Aurora June 9, 1916. In early infancy he was baptized in the Lutheran faith, receiving his religious training in Oelwein, and later was received as a communicant member of the church in Aurora.
His entire youth was spent in Aurora and he was graduated from Aurora high school in May, 1935. He entered Wartburg college, Waverly, in the fall of 1936, graduated in 1940 and received his B.A. degree. He was instructor and athletic coach at Beaman, Ia., high school for one year and entered the service on June 4, 1941. He received his military training at March Field, Cal., and San Francisco air port.
He graduated as an aviation cadet from the New Columbus Army Flying School near Columbus, Miss., May 28, 1943 and was sent overseas in Nov., 1943. He received the silver wings of flying officer and commission as a second lieutenant. The air medal and three oak leaf clusters representing three additional awards of the same decoration had been awarded to him as well as citation of the president for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in 10 separate bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe.
June 10, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Scharff received a telegram stating that their son, Paul, was missing in action over Dessau, Germany, since May 28, 1944. An official letter from the war department said that Paul was one of the ten men aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed while on a mission to Dessau, Germany on May 23, 1944 and had died from serious wounds.
(Newspaper obit in family papers)
* * *
Obituary
Funeral services were held posthumously for Lt. Paul Scharff Tuesday. He was killed in action over Germany six years ago.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scharff, Paul was born in Aurora June 9, 1916. In early infancy he was baptized in the Lutheran faith, receiving his religious training in Oelwein, and later was received as a communicant member of the church in Aurora.
His entire youth was spent in Aurora and he was graduated from Aurora high school in May, 1935. He entered Wartburg college, Waverly, in the fall of 1936, graduated in 1940 and received his B.A. degree. He was instructor and athletic coach at Beaman, Ia., high school for one year and entered the service on June 4, 1941. He received his military training at March Field, Cal., and San Francisco air port.
He graduated as an aviation cadet from the New Columbus Army Flying School near Columbus, Miss., May 28, 1943 and was sent overseas in Nov., 1943. He received the silver wings of flying officer and commission as a second lieutenant. The air medal and three oak leaf clusters representing three additional awards of the same decoration had been awarded to him as well as citation of the president for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in 10 separate bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe.
June 10, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Scharff received a telegram stating that their son, Paul, was missing in action over Dessau, Germany, since May 28, 1944. An official letter from the war department said that Paul was one of the ten men aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed while on a mission to Dessau, Germany on May 23, 1944 and had died from serious wounds.
(Newspaper obit in family papers)
Born and raised in Aurora, IA. After High School he went to Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. In 1941, the year after he graduated college he enlisted in the military and was sent to flying schools and training in various locations around the country. His aviation training complete, he was sent overseas in May of 1943. He is shot down one year later, in Dessau, Germany. He dies a few weeks prior to his 28th birthday.
* * *
Obituary
Funeral services were held posthumously for Lt. Paul Scharff Tuesday. He was killed in action over Germany six years ago.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scharff, Paul was born in Aurora June 9, 1916. In early infancy he was baptized in the Lutheran faith, receiving his religious training in Oelwein, and later was received as a communicant member of the church in Aurora.
His entire youth was spent in Aurora and he was graduated from Aurora high school in May, 1935. He entered Wartburg college, Waverly, in the fall of 1936, graduated in 1940 and received his B.A. degree. He was instructor and athletic coach at Beaman, Ia., high school for one year and entered the service on June 4, 1941. He received his military training at March Field, Cal., and San Francisco air port.
He graduated as an aviation cadet from the New Columbus Army Flying School near Columbus, Miss., May 28, 1943 and was sent overseas in Nov., 1943. He received the silver wings of flying officer and commission as a second lieutenant. The air medal and three oak leaf clusters representing three additional awards of the same decoration had been awarded to him as well as citation of the president for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in 10 separate bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe.
June 10, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Scharff received a telegram stating that their son, Paul, was missing in action over Dessau, Germany, since May 28, 1944. An official letter from the war department said that Paul was one of the ten men aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed while on a mission to Dessau, Germany on May 23, 1944 and had died from serious wounds.
(Newspaper obit in family papers)
* * *
Obituary
Funeral services were held posthumously for Lt. Paul Scharff Tuesday. He was killed in action over Germany six years ago.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scharff, Paul was born in Aurora June 9, 1916. In early infancy he was baptized in the Lutheran faith, receiving his religious training in Oelwein, and later was received as a communicant member of the church in Aurora.
His entire youth was spent in Aurora and he was graduated from Aurora high school in May, 1935. He entered Wartburg college, Waverly, in the fall of 1936, graduated in 1940 and received his B.A. degree. He was instructor and athletic coach at Beaman, Ia., high school for one year and entered the service on June 4, 1941. He received his military training at March Field, Cal., and San Francisco air port.
He graduated as an aviation cadet from the New Columbus Army Flying School near Columbus, Miss., May 28, 1943 and was sent overseas in Nov., 1943. He received the silver wings of flying officer and commission as a second lieutenant. The air medal and three oak leaf clusters representing three additional awards of the same decoration had been awarded to him as well as citation of the president for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in 10 separate bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe.
June 10, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Scharff received a telegram stating that their son, Paul, was missing in action over Dessau, Germany, since May 28, 1944. An official letter from the war department said that Paul was one of the ten men aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed while on a mission to Dessau, Germany on May 23, 1944 and had died from serious wounds.
(Newspaper obit in family papers)
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