Karl H. Stoltzfus was born on May 19, 1920  to William and Ethel Stoltzfus  who lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Karl was an only child. The family moved to the Coatesville, prior to 1930. His father was a salesman for farming equipment. 

Karl graduated from Scott High School in Coatesville in 1938 where he was very active and popular. He was class president in his freshman year and served on the student council all four years of high school. He was also an editor for the school's paper, the Echo. 

After high school, Karl worked as a sales clerk. He was a member of the Coatesville Bible Fellowship Church.

Karl enlisted in the Army Air Corps on June 11, 1941, After training, Karl was assigned the27th Bombardment Group (Light), under V Bomber Command. 

The Shreveport Times reported the following:

Some of the unit’s senior leadership and selected crews flew two B-18 Douglas “Bolo” bomber (based on the DC-2) and a transport from the Philippines to Australia to retrieve their bombers, but once there, were ordered to remain down under and operate from Brisbane.

The almost 900 personnel who remained, many from the original Barksdale contingent, evacuated in late December 1941 to the Bataan Peninsula, where they formed the 2nd Battalion (27th Bombardment Group) Provisional Infantry Regiment (Air Corps), fighting for almost 100 days as an infantry regiment, the only Air Force regiment in history to do so. The unit was captured in its entirety by the Japanese and forced to endure the brutal and savage Bataan Death March and ensuing enslaved captivity. Fewer than half survived the war.

Private Karl H. Stoltzfus was captured by the Japanese as a Prisoner of War on May 7, 1942 and remained imprisoned until his death on Setember 11, 1942.  

Karl is buried at the Middle Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery, in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. 

Research by Don Wambold, WCMSC