Philip Streczyk was a sergeant in the U.S. 1st Infantry Division during World War II. b. 25 Nov 1918 d. 25 Jun 1958 He is famous as one of the first men off the beach at Omaha Beach. He served in E Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, under Lieutenant John M. Spalding. He and his men helped make the breakthrough there on D-Day possible. His platoon landed on the Easy Red sector, and made it to the seawall largely intact, unlike most in the first wave. Instead of attacking up the beach exits, as was planned, he instead helped find and clear a path up the mined bluffs, left of Exit E-1. Once at the top, he attacked the enemy fortifications from the rear, clearing out trenches and pillboxes along Exit E-1 and taking prisoners. He was able to interrogate several of the Ost battalion POWs bec