Paul G. Orwig, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .
Paul G. Orwig
Second Lieutenant, 15th US Army Air Force
Date of Death: May 5, 1944
Burial: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Saint Louis, St. Louis County,
Missouri
Cause of Death: Airplane Shot Down (Ploesti, Romania)
Date of Enlistment: July 1942
Hometown: Valparaiso
Newspaper Notices:
Lt. P. Orwig Of Air Force Is Missing
Lieut. Paul Orwig, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph F. Orwig, of 315 Madison
street, this city, is missing in action since May 5 over Romania, according to a
telegram received by his parents from the War Department Tuesday.
Lieut. Orwig was a member of the 15th U. S. Army Air Force, based in Italy. He
was a co-pilot on a Liberator bomber named by its crew, "Taboo."
A graduate of Valparaiso high school in 1941, Lieut. Orwig was sworn into the
army air reserve in July, 1942. He was called to duty in February, 1943, and
received his basic training at Blackland Field, Waco, Texas, where he received
his wings last December.
According to his parents, though he had been in Italy only three weeks he had
participated in a number of raids over Germany and Romania.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
May 4, 1944; Volume 17, Number 34, Page 1, Column 3
Lt. P. Orwig Died In Action Army Informs
Lieut. Paul Orwig, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph F. Orwig, 315 Madison street,
missing over Romania since May 5, has been reported killed in action, according
to a telegram received from the War Department.
The young flyer was a member of the 15th U. S. Army Air Force based in Italy. He
was co-pilot of a Liberator bomber named by its crew, "Taboo."
A graduate of Valparaiso high school in 1941, Lieut. Orwig was sworn into the
army air reserve corps in July, 1942. He was called to duty in February, 1943,
and received his basic training at Blackland Field, Waco, Texas, where he
received his wings last December.
Prior to his death he had participated in a number of raids over Germany and
Romania.
Besides his parents, Lt. Orwig is survived by a brother, Ralph P. Orwig, of
Valparaiso; a sister, Mrs. H. Donald Smith, of Toledo, Ohio; and his
grandmother, Mrs. Mary Payton, of Valparaiso. A brother, Victor W. Orwig,
preceded him in death four years ago.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
July 14, 1944; Volume 18, Number 34, Page 1, Column 6
Orwig Will Be Re-Buried With Crew
A Valparaiso man who lost his life in Europe fighting with U. S. Army Forces
during World War II, will be re-buried with military honors in the Jefferson
Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo., Thursday, May 11, at 10:30 a. m.
He was 2nd Lt. Paul Orwig, co-pilot of the U. S. 15th Air Force, killed May 5,
1944, while on a mission over Ploesti, Romania in a Liberator bomber.
The rights for Orwig will also include members of the crew of the bomber who
lost their lives with Orwig.
Born in Valparaiso, Lt. Orwig was graduated from Valparaiso high school in 1941.
He was sworn into the army reserve corps in July, 1942, and was called to duty
in February, 1943. He underwent basic training at Blackland Field, Waco, Tex.,
and he received his wings in December, 1943.
During service in Italy he participated in a number of raids over Germany and
Romania previous to his death.
The young war hero was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Orwig, Sr., and a grandson of
Mrs. Mary Payton, all of Chicago. He also has one brother, Ralph, Jr., and a
sister, Mary Katheryn. A brother, Victor, preceded him in death.
After the death of Lt. Orwig, the Orwig family moved to Chicago.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
May 6, 1950; Volume 23, Number 259, Number 34, Page 1, Column 7
Return to
List of
Porter County World War II Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook