Born 13 February 1931 at Macklin, Saskatchewan, Al Stangowitz worked as an Apprentice Welder in Edmonton before joining the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in February 1948. He completed Recruit Basic Training at Camp Borden in Ontario and was posted to B Company, First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta in May 1948. He was trained as a Bren Gunner and then sent to Rivers, Manitoba where he completed his jump course (parachute training) in May 1950. Private Stangowitz was reposted to the First Battalion in 1950 and then returned to Camp Borden where he completed the Driver Operator and Signals course. When he returned to the Battalion in July 1950, he was employed as a Signaller and passed the Air-Portability course in August. Stangowitz then was sent to Wainwright, Alberta to help train the Second Battalion, Signals for service in Korea. He was sent to Korea, arriving in September 1951, and was attached to B Company, Second Battalion, PPCLI. Al was wounded by a shell fragment to the head in April 1951 and evacuated to Japan where he spent three months recovering. He was then transferred to Movement Control at Iwakuni, Japan where he was employed loading priority supplies onto aircraft. When the Second Battalion was relieved by the First in October 1951, Private Stangowitz returned to Canada and applied for discharge in November. Following the War he worked as a carpenter for forty years and is now a member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association, the Korea Vetrerans Association and the Royal Canadian Legion. He is also a volunteer at the Regimental Museum.