Oliver Charles Schriner (Oct. 3, 1923 - Oct. 12, 1996) was the third generation of his family to serve America during wartime.

His grandfather, Johannes "John" Schreiner (Dec. 19, 1842 - Oct. 30, 1921), immigrated from Germany in 1854 as a boy, then volunteered for service in the 92nd Illinois Infantry and 146th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War.

Oliver's father, Charles S. Schriner (Feb. 1, 1888 - Mar. 28, 1970), served in France with Field Remount Squadron #308 during World War I.

Oliver enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943, and trained as a B-17 Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Assigned to the 95th Bomb Group, 336th Bomb Squadron at RAF Horam in Suffolk, England, Oliver was taken prisoner by the Nazis when his B-17, tail number 44-6098, was downed by flak near the English Channel on Aug. 4, 1944.

Oliver and his aircrew were held at the notorious Stalag Luft 4 near Gross-Tychow, Germany, and were part of the "Black March" following evacuation of the Stalag in the winter of 1945.

Oliver survived the war, and returned home to marry and raise a son.

B-17 cutaway showing Oliver's station directly behind the flight deck

Charles S. Schreiner WWI photo

Johannes K. "John" Schreiner Civil War photo

Oliver Schriner (1923)