Orlando A. Krupka

Why do men and women who go to war go through so much training? Orlando A. Krupka of Milladore, Wisconsin, attended four universities, gunnery school, and navigation school. He underwent all of this training ultimately to die serving our country. He died on October 6, 1944 in Berlin, Germany. He is buried in the St. Wenceslaus Parish Cemetery in Milladore, Wisconsin. Many other young men just like him went to war after going through just as much training as he did, and they too, gave their lives as he did.

Orlando was born on February 11, 1923, and he was only twenty-one years old when he passed away. He had a wife named Beatrice. He was the navigator on a flying fortress and was based in England with the eighth Army Air Force. He lost his life in a bombing raid over Berlin, Germany. His job on the plane was to inform the pilot of their position and provide estimates of when they would reach the next check point. He would also tell the pilot when it was time to drop the bomb. To do this he would have to make many mathematical calculations.

He had to know the position of the aircraft at all times. This is where all of his training came in handy. If he lost track of their position, they could fall into enemy hands or run out of fuel. When he was not at his regular duties, he would man two cheek guns at the nose of the aircraft. Orlando was vital to the survival of the other crew members.

Situations like Orlando’s help us understand why all of the men and women, who serve our country, go through so much training. As you can see Orlando’s job couldn’t have been done without this great amount of training. If his job or any other job wasn’t carried out as well as Orlando performed his, we might not have the freedom we have today.

Aaron Sheets, Student
Marshfield Junior High