Alex’s parents, Mary and Alex Sr., immigrated from Poland to America in 1907. They were married the next year in Indiana. They moved to Taylor Spring, Illinois in 1910 and in 1918, moved back. They mostly spoke Polish.
They had their son Alex M. Penkala Jr on August 30, 1924. He was the tenth of thirteen. He was given the nickname Junior, and it is still used today. Only a few of his siblings survived to hear about the show.
Alex’s mother died during childbirth in 1928. The thirteenth child, a son, was given to relatives and lived under a different name.
Alex’s family was catholic. They were considered devoutly Catholic, it is probably why he got along with Muck.
In 1920s they lived near Notre Dame University, where both Alex and his father worked. It was a family job center practically. Most of Alex’s siblings worked in various jobs around the university. With all of them working, the family managed to get by better than most people.
Alex and his siblings spoke both Polish and English. Alex Sr. did not pick up on English and till his death, never could quite speak it. They spoke Polish first and then learned English from school and other events.
Alex was described by others as an active, muscular kid. He did not talk much, and stood about five feet seven inches. He loved baseball and football. Alex and his friends snuck out to a barn near Notre Dame often and play around in the hay.
Alex attended a Catholic High School, South Bend Catholic High School, and he enlisted with only one year under his belt. This was common for students to attended one year and drop out to help out around the house to keep money flowing. Alex had a girlfriend, Sylvia, during this time. It is not for sure, but Alex could’ve been an 18-year old sophomore in high school when he enlisted.
Alex enlisted on February 27, 1943. His occupations read “motorcycle mechanic or packer high explosives, munitions worker, or tool room keeper, or stock control clerk, or stock clerk.”
Alex was shipped off to basic training and eventually cook school. No one knew quite why he was picked to be a cook, it’s believed that’s just where the Army put him. Two friends during cook school told him about the paratroopers and they all tried out together, only Alex made it. Alex did not train at Toccoa with the others. His paratrooper training took place else where.
Alex was one of the first replacements for Easy. His first photo with them is at Fort Bragg, but little is known where he took his training. Only one photo survives of Alex and Skip, one they took at Camp McCal
Alex wrote to his family often. His letters were short and breezy. Most contained the general “I am doing well, how is family, send candy (Alex really wanted candy), I’ll write soon, I got your letter.” For example,
I received your letter and was I glad to hear from you. As you probably know by now, I am going to cook’s school for eight weeks, as I am going to make the best of it.
No, I don’t need anything and I don’t want anything for Easter. Thanks anyways. I am not coming home for Easter because no one gets to go home during this time in school.
You should see the WACs (Women’s Army Corps) here at camp! There are about 150 of them. You should know that Sylvia really doesn’t know how much I love or should I say like her. I don’t even go no place because I keep thinking of her so much.
Well, I am out of time so I’ll have to say goodbye until I write again.
P.S. Send box candy if you want to.”
Well, I’m ok. Boy and do I like the army….I might get shipped to some other camp. How do you like my writing? I am in a hurry, so you’ll have to excuse it. Write more often. I’ll keep thinking of you.
Alex and Skip Muck got along fairly well because they were both Catholic with rather large families. They worked together on the mortar team, Alex was Skip’s assistant. Everyone claims Alex and Skip were a great, reliable team.
Alex sailed for England with Easy on September 21, 1943 aboard the Samaraia. Alex had recently visited his home for the last time and they threw a party for him. His family noticed a little Airborne habit he had picked up since he had left: smoking. Alex had never smoked before, but suddenly he was smoking.
When across the seas, Alex’s letters got shorter and shorter. His sister sent him candy, gloves, and t-shirts. He mostly talked about food and candy. Alex really seemed to love eating. He constantly asked for candy, or fudge, or peanuts. Most of his letters ended with him asking for food. “Send me something to eat-anything!”
Alex went on a trip with Perconte to Ireland. Alex spotted a lady with her luggage and helped her. Perconte saw this and tried to convince Alex to flirt, Alex protested saying she was married. He had already gotten to know her fairly fast, or the lady just assumed other intentions were involved and told him straight out. He still helped her.
Speaking of relationships. While in England, Alex got a “Dear John Letter” from Sylvia. The break up didn’t affect him much and soon he was dating another girl in England. He talked about various girls in his letters.
A new replacement, Joe Lesniewski, said the first person to talk to him when he transferred was Alex. They both spoke Polish and became good friends. Joe taught them how to sing western songs.
Alex jumped on D-Day and landed on a barn roof. He climbed down and joined his unit somehow. No one knows much about Alex’s D-Day experience other than he and Skip were the only ones from his squad to survive and he was acting as corporal. Alex signed a parachute after D-Day. His niece currently owns that as a gift from Joe.
Alex made the jump into Holland in September 1944. Alex wrote only one letter home after that.
On January 10, 1945, the Germans were raining a hard artillery strike on the American forces in Bois Jacques Woods near Foy, Belgium. The men scrambled to find foxholes under the shelling. Alex and Skip were in their large foxhole when a shell landed directly on them and killed them instantly. Not much remained of either man.
Alex was buried twice. Originally in France and then in Luxembourge with Skip Muck. He had two burial flags, one for each burial. The Penkala and Muck families remain close to this day.
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