Pvt. John B. Kimak
United States Air Force Coy E. 506th Parachute Infantry Regimentt
from:Pittsburgh, PA
John Kimak, Junior 1924 - 2014, was my grandpap, and this is his story.
My grandfather was 18 years old, from Woods Run Ave, 15212, Pittsburgh, PA when he enlisted in the military in WW2. Grandpap entered the military on 30th of November 1942, where he did his training in Georgia and was separated 26th of December 1945. He served with the 101st Airborne Division USAAF.
I wish I had more to share. I wish I had asked more questions when I was younger, when he was alive. I wish I had just paid more attention to his stories. The following is information I received from my uncle (his son).
Grandpap was a WWII Army soldier who saw action in the invasion of Europe on D-day. He was in the 101st Airborne Paratrooper, 506th Regiment - Regimental Headquarters Company, Company E, the original Band of Brothers. His job was to hook up phone wires for communications. He was eventually captured by the Germans and spent most of the war in a German prison camp, Stalag 4F Workcamps Hartmannsdorf-Chemnitz Saxony 51-12. Here we know he and the others were not treated very well. He was a POW from 7th of June 1944 until 7th of May 1945, a month short of being a full year. His rank when discharged was Private and it was an administrative screw-up that he wasn't officially Private First Class.
If anyone knew him, or served, or was a POW with him, I would love to know. I do not have all the facts and I know his name is missing from so many sites.
