Editing Michael Strank (section)

== Early life ==
Michael Strank was born in a [[Rusyns|Rusyn]] family in the Prešov village of Orjabyna in [[Czechoslovakia]] (present-day [[Jarabina]] in the [[Stará Ľubovňa]] district), [[Prešov Region]] of northeastern [[Czechoslovakia]] (now in [[Slovakia]]). His two brothers, Petro and John, and his sister Mary were born in the United States to Vasil Strenk (later, in the U.S., known as Charles Strank) and Marta Grófiková, [[Rusyns|Rusyn]] immigrants. In his application for American citizenship, Vasil Strenk's father indicated the nationality of his family as [[Ruthenians|Ruthenian]].<ref>{{cite news |date= 19 November 2017|title= Honoring Our Veterans Film Documentary On Life Of Sergeant Michael Strank "Our Flag Still Waves"|url= https://c-rs.org/event-2727204|publisher= Carpatho-Rusyn Society}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 4 November 2019|title= Events to mark 100th anniversary of Iwo Jima flag raiser Michael Strank's birth|url= https://www.tribdem.com/marine-sgt-michael-strank-memorial-park/image_a00d2200-fec3-11e9-a890-3b1416dfe86a.html|publisher= The Tribune-Democrat|location= Johnstown, Pennsylvania}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Marine Sergeant Michael Strank Awarded Certificate of US Citizenship|url= http://www.rusynacademy.sk/english/en_history.html|publisher= Academy of Rusyn Culture in the Slovak Republic}}</ref> Vasil Strank moved to [[Franklin borough, Cambria County, Pennsylvania|Franklin Borough]] (near [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], United States), found work in the coal mines for the [[Bethlehem Steel Corporation]], and brought his family to [[Pennsylvania]] three years later, when he could pay for their voyage. Strank attended the public schools of Franklin Borough and graduated from Franklin Borough High School in 1937. He joined the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]], served for 18 months, and afterwards became a Pennsylvania state highway laborer.