William Francis Stein
Military ROLL OF HONOURAll information correct as on Roll of Honor board
Lt. William F. Stein was a B-24D command pilot assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 93rd Bomb Group, and the 328th Bombardment Squadron, in the ETO based in Britain. It was temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa for Operation Tidal Wave to Ploesti, Romania. He was the pilot on the B-24D, 41-23711, Jerks Natural, who flew on, and survived, the Ploesti mission. 1 Aug 43. Two months later after taking off from a base in North Africa he was shot down in a raid over Austria and declared MIA. It was not until 1950 that he was confirmed KIA when his ashes and those of his crew were discovered in a casket in a village cemetery in southern Austria.
Jerks Natural, was damaged over Austria on a mission to Wiener Neustadt, a Bf-109 factory, and crashed in Yugoslavia. Pilot William Stein, his copilot, Lt. George Wilkerson, and all his crewmen, except his navigator Lt. Bill Sykes, were killed in the crash. Killed In Action - KIA. 1 Oct 43. 9 KIA - 1 POW. MACR 3301.
Lt. William Stein - Awards: DFC, AM, PH.
The B-24D, Jerks Natural, was lost on the mission to the Wiener-Neustadt, Austria, ME-109 factory. Lt. Stein's airplane couldn't keep up with his formation and turned back. While returning to home base, Stein was attacked by Bf-109 fighters of JG 27/I. Jerks Natural, was badly shot up, entered a spin, and crashed. Only one crew member, 2nd Lt. William W. Sykes, the navigator, was able to jump free of the spinning plane and survived. Captured by the Germans (POW). Aircraft crashed Northeast of Graz, Austria. 1 October 1943. MACR 3301
1st Lt. William F. Stein - Pilot (O-792650) - KIA -
2nd Lt. George B. Wilkinson - Co-Pilot - O-2044441 - KIA
2nd Lt. William W. Sykes - Navigator - O-796623 - POW - Stalag Luft 3 - Sagan
2nd Lt. John M. McDonough - Bombardier - O-735236 - California - KIA
T/Sgt. Jack W. Kasparian - Engineer/Top Turret - 19099178 - California - KIA
T/Sgt. Larry H. White - Radio Operator - 36171704 - KIA
SSgt. Adrian H. Smit - Gunner - 32454962 - New Jersey - KIA
S/Sgt. Lester H. Eby - Gunner - 39531654 - California - KIA
SSgt. Philip G. Bedwell - Gunner - 15101741 - Indiana - KIA
T/Sgt. William A. Staats, Jr. - Gunner - 12057225 - New York - KIA
All crewmembers KIA were buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15101741
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39531654
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19099178
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735328
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32454962
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Jerks Natural
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Naugatuck, CT | 22 January 1918 | |
Other Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Flew on Ploesti raid on 1-Aug-43. |
Died |
Yugoslavia | 1 October 1943 | 'Jerks Natural' was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on 1-Oct-43. KIA. MACR 3301. |
Buried |
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, St. Louis County MO | 13 March 1950 | Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, St. Louis County Missouri, USA. |
Union City, Connecticut | |||
Based Assigned |
Benina | 1 October 1943 | Assigned to 328BS, 93BG, 8AF USAAF. TDY 9AF. |
Revisions
Best Web - B-24 - 41-23711 - Jerks Natural flicker.com - photos - B-24 - 41-23711 - Jerks Natural
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / roster