[1] Paul Strähle was born on 20 May 1893 in Schorndorf, Kingdom of Wurttemberg[2] He originally served in the infantry after joining the German army on 1 October 1913.
He scored his first aerial victory on 14 February 1917, shooting down a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b; his victim is believed to have been Harold Hartney.
[3] He continued his victory streak,[1] flying an Albatros D.V in the squadron colors of blue and scarlet with his personal album of a white battle axe painted on its side.
[5] Strähle was then appointed to command a new squadron just forming; Jagdstaffel 57 was founded at Koenisberg on 6 January 1918, and moved to the Sixth Army front on the 24th.
[7] By 14 July 1921, he was reported to be running a pioneering air mail service between Stuttgart and Constance, using three of the Halberstadts, one of which could also carry passengers, under the name Luftverkehr Strähle.