John Earl Stevens

Military
media-45392.jpeg UPL 45392 Othello Dale Smith Crew
388th BG - 562nd BS

Standing Left to Right: Othello D. Smith (P), John E. Stevens (CP), Chester P. Hewitt (N), unidentified

Kneeling Left to Right: Carl Kindelt R/O), Edward J. Huntzinger (FE), John B. Martin (BTG), Douglas N. Woods (TG), George C. Sevy (WG), Peter J. Brennan (TOG)

Stevens and Kindelt would be KIA. Sevy would be WIA and Martin would be a POW. 388th Bomb Group collection

http://www.388bg.com/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-C426&dat…

Object Number - UPL 45392 - Othello Dale Smith Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS Standing Left to Right: Othello D. Smith (P), John E. Stevens (CP), Chester P. Hewitt (N),...

Killed in Action (KIA) 31 December 1944



AM/ PH

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.

388th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Othello Dale Smith

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-770817
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-97210

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jamaica Ginger
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron

42-97328

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Heaven's Above
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

43-38933

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dear Mom II/Weary Wolf
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

44-6582

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

Missions

A B-17 Flying Fortress (EP-E, serial number 42-31767) nicknamed "Our Gal Sal" of the 100th Bomb Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Our Gal Sal EP-E, 231767 at Mount Farm.'

772

  • Date: 31 December 1944
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5725) nicknamed "This is IT!" of the 381st Bomb Group opens her bomb bay doors during a mission.

770

  • Date: 30 December 1944

766

  • Date: 28 December 1944

750

  • Date: 15 December 1944

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Buffalo, NY 27 July 1922
Snyder, NY 30 June 1942 98 Northledge

Died

Hamburg, Germany 31 December 1944 Killed In Action "Lt. Smith in a/c 44-6582 was jot by enemy aircraft on the bomb run and by flak over the target. The co-pilot, Lt. Stevens, was hit by a 20mm shell on the bomb run and later with flak. At the same time the waist gunner was wounded and the #2 engine had to be feathered. They lost most of the oxygen system. All that was working in the cockpit was the direct oxygen line. While trying to revive the co-pilot, the pilot and engineer took turns using the oxygen. The bombs were salvoed and the aircraft was dived to a lower altitude. The plane came back with the #2 engine feathered and the #4 engine running but it's controls were shot out. The engineer flew as co-pilot on the way back. Lt. Stevens died of his injuries.

Buried

Plot D Row 4 Grave 43 Cambridge American Cemetery Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial Madingley Road Coton CB23 7PH Cambridge United Kingdom

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

The 388th At War - Edward J. Huntzinger, pages 196-197
http://www.388bg.com/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-STE09-…
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44028_03_0…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56294661/john-e-stevens

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

ABMC / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

John Earl Stevens: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 38128 - Unsure if this is under Pilot Oliver Smith or John...

Object number: UPL 45392 - Othello Dale Smith Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS...