The following information was added by: John Dowdy (#47791572)

Navigator 2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele KIA

Hometown: Ohio

Squadron: 577th 392th Bomb Group

Service# O-692348

Awards:

Pilot 2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass, KIA

Target: Zwickau, Germany

CASUALTIES NOT LISTED IN MACR

Date Lost: 21-Apr-44

Serial Number: #42-99979

Aircraft Model B-24J

Aircraft Letter:

Aircraft Name:

Location: North Tuddenham, Norfolk, England.

Cause: Weather icing conditions - Fog 8KIA 2RTD

The aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany, was the target for 28 planes from the 392nd.

Take-offs began at 1:30pm. An account by 579th Sqdn pilot 2/Lt Robert V. Pardue describes the terrible conditions in the sky. "We took off with an overcast and were to form at 15,000 ft., but the clouds were much thicker than anticipated, and there were severe icing conditions; therefore the assembly was raised to about 20,000 ft. There was no formation. Planes were everywhere. It was terribly dangerous in the clouds."

The entire 8th AF formation was finally recalled, about the time the 2nd Air Division was scheduled to depart the English coast. Three B-24s in the 2AD crashed due to the extremely bad weather.

This crew was forming up for the mission to Zwickau. For reasons unknown (but perhaps related to the severe weather and icing conditions), the left wing broke off at the outer panel during assembly. Around 1417 hours, the plane crashed at North Tuddenham, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Two crewmembers bailed out successfully but eight perished in this accident. The survivors were engineer S/Sgt Gerald A. Knettel and waist gunner Sgt John J. Brzostowski. Knettel rarely talked about the incident, but did tell his son Michael that the air was colder than normal that day and they were flying at a higher altitude than usual. He heard a tremendous noise and then he and Brzostowski just fell from the plane. As his chute deployed, the plane exploded and debris showered down. His parachute was damaged, causing him to descend too fast. He was severely injured; a metal plate had to be placed in his head and a rod in his leg. These injuries pained him until his death at age 47. Neither Knettel nor Brzostowski ever flew a combat mission again. Instead, both were transferred to the 577th's ground crew and finished the war with that unit.

Crew of 42-99979,

2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA

2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA

2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA

2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA

S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD

T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA

S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD

S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA

S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA

S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA

Members of the Bass Crew, #42-99979 B-24, 577th BS, 392nd BG. :

2Lt. Louis F. Bass, Pilot, KIA.

2Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm, Co-Pilot, KIA.

2Lt. Wayne M. Steele, Navigator, KIA.

2Lt. Arthur R. Stover, Jr., Bombardier, KIA.

TSgt. James W. Thomas, Radio Operator, KIA.

SSgt. Gerald A. Knettel, Engineer.

SSgt. John J. Brzostowski, Left Waist Gunner.

SSgt. Walter E. Reeves, Right Wast Gunner, KIA.

SSgt. Warren H. Burnett, Ball Turret Gunner, KIA.

Crew of 42-99979,

2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA

2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA

2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA

2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA

S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD

T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA

S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD

S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA

S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA

S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA

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LT. WAYNE M. STEELE

Private committal services for Lt. Wayne M. Steele, a navigator on a B-24 bomber, killed in action over Europe April 21, 1944, were held Friday at the New Vienna cemetery, in charge of the Davis funeral home. He was the son of William and Hattie R. Steele, of New Vienna. Before entering service, Lt. Steele was graduated from Ohio State University and attended Purdue University. Survivors include his parents, his widow, Mrs. Christine Boyd Steele, of Lynchburg, and a brother, Herbert, New York City. (The Press-Gazette, Hillsboro, OH, Tuesday, August 3, 1948, p. 7, Col. 6)

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U. S. Army Service No. (ASN): #O-692348

Wayne M. Steele is listed as Killed In Action in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Clinton County, Ohio.

***I would like to thank mokennehan Find A Grave ID 47119719 for creating this memorial as well as adding their obituary to it***

***I would like to thank Jay Wright Find A Grave ID 47711501 for adding his photo of Wayne to this memorial in addition to updating year of birth and death location and linking his parents***