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Staff Sergeant Stewart Welton Schoch
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Stewart Welton Schoch was the second son of Pennsylvania natives, Paul Edward Schoch, a chauffeur, and Gertrude Lydia (Stewart) Schoch. Stewart was single when he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on 19 Apr 1943. He served as the Waist Gunner on the B-17G "Miss Lace," 44-6140, which encountered heavy flak over the target, the Brabag Synthetic Oil Plant just northeast of Zeitz, Germany, on 30 Nov 1944. After a close flak explosion, the plane lost its right wing, went into a steep dive, was ablaze, and broke into two sections: the tail/waist section, which landed near the town limits of Threna, Germany and the nose section, which crashed into District 7 of the Oberholz Forest near Großpösna, Germany. Schoch's ID tag and remains were recovered at the tail/waist section crash site near Threna and buried in an individual grave in that village's cemetery.
In late June 1945, the US Army exhumed his remains, established his identity from military dental records and his military identification tag, and re-interred the remains in the Lorraine American Cemetery, St Avold de la Moselle, France. His family placed a commemorative headstone for him at the Troutville United Church of Christ Cemetery, Troutville, PA.
Service
People
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
A native of Chicago, Bernard 'Bernie' Bonderski was the eldest son of a Polish immigrant father, Pawel 'Paul' Bonderski and Apolonia "Paulina" (Cholewinska, born in New Jersey) Bonderski. Bernard practiced the Roman Catholic faith. Bernie attended...
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Charles was the youngest child and only son of Charles V Bowles Sr and Maude "Lovey" (Estes) Bowles. Born in Atlanta, GA, he moved at a young age with his parents first to Highland Park, Michigan, then Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated from Hide...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Eugene Scott Bush was the second son and youngest child of Kansas farmers, Robert T Bush and Ola M (Osborn) Bush. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on 04 Aug 1943.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Nose Gunner / Enlisted | 379th Bomb Group
Chester "Chick" Mark Durham was the fourth surviving son of cotton share croppers, Cornelious Jordan Durham and Anita Melvina (Stephens) Durham. He was a talented wood worker and musician. He loved to laugh, kick up his heels, and have a good time. In...
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Shirley Clare Griffith was the son of Michigan natives, Carl W and Ethel Griffith. He attended Washington Gardner High School in Albion, MI. He enlisted in the Michigan State National Guard on 25 Sep 1940. He was inducted into the US Army on 24 Feb...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Howard 'Howie' Griffith Mertens was the second son and youngest child born to native Californians, Ferdinand C Mertens and Margaret Mary (Griffith) Mertens, but his paternal grandparents were German immigrants. Howie graduated from Mission High School...
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Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Gilbert 'Gil' Jerome Schlesinger was the second son and youngest child of Samuel M and Celia Schlesinger, who practiced the Jewish faith. Gil never married and produced no known heirs.
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 379th Bomb Group
Theodore 'Ted' Zivanidis was the eldest of three children born to Greek immigrants, Athanasious 'Thanos or Thomas' Zivanidis and Elizabeth (Krettecos) Zivanidis. Ted's father and his maternal uncle, James Krettecos co-owned and operated an Altoona, PA,...
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Units served with
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Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
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Aircraft
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa, OK 5/14/44; Kearney, NE 5/24/44; Dow Field, Bangor, ME 1/6/44; Assigned 527BS/379BG Kimbolton, England 10/6/44; Missing in Action northeast of Zeitz, Germany on 11/30/44 with 8 crew Killed in Action: 1st Lt Gilbert J Schlesinger, Pilot...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
DuBois, PA, USA |
9 August 1924 |
Buried |
Threna, 04683 Belgershain, Germany |
November 1944 |
Killed in Action (KIA) |
Threna, Germany |
30 November 1944 |
Re-interment |
Lorraine, France |
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Saint-Avold Department de la Moselle, Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Headstone Block A, Row 25, Grave 40.
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