Individual Details

1930 Census. St. Louis, MO, Hh 175
1137 Hodiamont Ave
Fred Blank, age 31, married at 21, b. MO, parents b. Russia; Butcher, Packing House
Frieda, wife, 31, married at 21, b. NY, parents b. Poland
Paul, son, 10, b. IL
Doris L., dau, 3 years, 7 months, b. MO
Harry, son, 2, b. MO

1940 Census. Maplewood City, Jefferson Twp, St. Louis Co, MO, Hh 236
3315 Arbor. Lived in St. Louis in 1935.
Fred Blank, 41, b. MO. Proprietor, Retail Grocery Store
Frieda, wife, 42, b. NY
Paul, son, 20, b. IL, Floorman, Retail Department Store
Doris Lee, dau, 13, b. MO
Harry, son, 12, b. MO

1 July 1941 World War II Draft Registration
Paul Blank of 3315 Arbor Ave, Maplewood, St. Louis Co, MO was 21, born E. St. Louis, IL on 16 Mar 1920. Telephone: HI-0527. Occupation: Floor manage, Famous-Barr Co. at 6th & Olive, St. Louis. His Father, Fred Blank of the same address would always know his. Height: 5'9" Weight: 148 lb. Gray eyes, brown hair.

Served in the US Army. Enlisted 8 Dec 1941; Released 4 Sep 1942; Re-enlisted 5 Sep 1942.

Found on FamilySeach (presumably this is Paul)
World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1945
25 Jul 1943, Germany. Air Corps, Army.
Military Unit: Group/Regt/Commands/System; Subordinate Unit: Bombardment, Heavy.
Rank, 1st Lt.
Destination: Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser)
Service #08729597
Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated
Residence: Missouri

Found on Fold3:
Enlistment Record
Paul Blank enlisted at Jefferson Barracks, MO, 8 Dec 1941. He had 2 years of college; was single without dependents. Enlisted in Medical Admi Corps for Officers only.

Missing Air Crew, 1943 - some is unreadable
Lt. Paul Blank was a POW for 21 months and lives with me the whole time. He now lives at 3189 Cherry St., Maplewood, MO.
Questionnaire:
Did he bail out: To the best of my knowledge, No. Reason unknown.
Last contact: He was fastening his chest pack to his harness as I started for the door. I told him to hurry.
Was in injured: Apparently not.
Where was he last seen? Sitting on Turn-table of top turret
Heresay information: German authorities at Frankfort, Germany that he was found in or near the wreckage of the plane.
Fate: Airplane began to fall apart as I craled along the cat walk. Possibly he was trapped on the flight deck.
Total number of missions: 21

Social Security lists his birth place as East St. Louis, Illinois. Father: Fred Blank; mother: Frieda Spaizman.

FindAGrave #6213251
Buried United Hebrew Cemetery, University City, St Louis Co, MO

Birth	16 Mar 1920	East Saint Louis, Saint Clair County, Illinois
Death	29 Jun 1994	Saint Louis, Missouri
Marriage		Irma [BLANK]

Spouse	Irma [BLANK] (1922 - 1984)
Child	Living

Father	Fred Blank (1898 - 1978)
Mother	Frieda Spaizman (1897 - 1987)
Sibling	Doris Lee Blank (1926 - )
Sibling	Harold Louis Blank (1928 - 2011)