Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until September 10, 1945.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Brother of Helen Smyntek who resided in Buffalo, New York.
Stephen served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator on B-17G #42-39975, 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 18, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Bartender and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17G #42-39975 took off from Newcastle, England on a bombing mission over Dessau, Germany. Just after a successful bombing run they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and then attacked by enemy aircraft which disabled two of their engines. They were believed to have crashed into the North Sea while trying to return to Newcastle.
Stephen was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32281236
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39975:
Clements, William P ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Cogdill, Tommy ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, SC
Collier, Zack C, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Kelleher, John T ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, WI
Kogut, Stephen ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, NY
McDermott, Harry J, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Semon, Charles J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Ward, Harry L ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, OR
Zirnheld, George R ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, VA
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Brother of Helen Smyntek who resided in Buffalo, New York.
Stephen served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator on B-17G #42-39975, 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 18, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Bartender and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17G #42-39975 took off from Newcastle, England on a bombing mission over Dessau, Germany. Just after a successful bombing run they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and then attacked by enemy aircraft which disabled two of their engines. They were believed to have crashed into the North Sea while trying to return to Newcastle.
Stephen was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32281236
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39975:
Clements, William P ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Cogdill, Tommy ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, SC
Collier, Zack C, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Kelleher, John T ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, WI
Kogut, Stephen ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, NY
McDermott, Harry J, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Semon, Charles J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Ward, Harry L ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, OR
Zirnheld, George R ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, VA
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until September 10, 1945.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Brother of Helen Smyntek who resided in Buffalo, New York.
Stephen served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator on B-17G #42-39975, 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 18, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Bartender and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17G #42-39975 took off from Newcastle, England on a bombing mission over Dessau, Germany. Just after a successful bombing run they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and then attacked by enemy aircraft which disabled two of their engines. They were believed to have crashed into the North Sea while trying to return to Newcastle.
Stephen was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32281236
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39975:
Clements, William P ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Cogdill, Tommy ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, SC
Collier, Zack C, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Kelleher, John T ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, WI
Kogut, Stephen ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, NY
McDermott, Harry J, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Semon, Charles J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Ward, Harry L ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, OR
Zirnheld, George R ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, VA
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Brother of Helen Smyntek who resided in Buffalo, New York.
Stephen served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator on B-17G #42-39975, 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 18, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Bartender and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17G #42-39975 took off from Newcastle, England on a bombing mission over Dessau, Germany. Just after a successful bombing run they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and then attacked by enemy aircraft which disabled two of their engines. They were believed to have crashed into the North Sea while trying to return to Newcastle.
Stephen was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32281236
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #42-39975:
Clements, William P ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Cogdill, Tommy ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, SC
Collier, Zack C, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Kelleher, John T ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, WI
Kogut, Stephen ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, NY
McDermott, Harry J, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, PA
Semon, Charles J ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA
Ward, Harry L ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, OR
Zirnheld, George R ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, VA
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inscription
TSGT 323 BOMB SQ 91 BOMB GP (HEAVY) NEW YORK
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