Stephen served as a Second Lieutenant and Bombardier on B-24J #42-72999, 38th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Hudson County, New Jersey prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on January 16, 1941, prior to the war, in Newark, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Railroad clerk and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24J #42-72999 took off, with a crew of 10, from the Tarawa Airfield on a bombing mission over Roi Island. Possibly due to engine trouble, they crash about 15 minutes after takeoff approximately 3 miles off the east coast of Tarawa. Two explosions were heard by ground crews in Tarawa after they hit the water. The entire crew died in this crash.
The entire crews remains were recovered and they were all interred in the Marine Cemetery #33 in Tarawa.
Only two of the crew members remains, 2nd Lt. Dabrowski & S/Sgt Myers, were later located after the war and eventually returned to the families for burial in the late 1940's.
In 2017 History Flight, Inc. uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis. On Dec. 20, 2018, one set of remains was identified as U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer and his remains were interred in the Highland Memorial Park, Pottstown, PA.
In January, 2019 the remains of 1st Lt. Lurcott were recovered and his remains were interred in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
The remains of the other 6 have not been recovered.
Stephen was "Killed In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-669210
Stephen's brother Edward A. Dabrowski passed away on December 6, 2004 and was interred next to Stephen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-72999:
Alenier, Stanley J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, NY ~ "MIA"
Dabrowski, Stephen J. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NJ
Fenzel, John F. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, MD ~ "MIA"
Johnson, George M. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, DE ~ "MIA"
Lurcott, Howard T. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MO
Myers, Arthur E. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, OH
Polzien, Donald L. ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, IA ~ "MIA"
Rothman, Howard ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, NJ ~ "MIA"
Shaffer, Carl M. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Shell, James W. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, GA ~ "MIA"
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Hudson County, New Jersey prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on January 16, 1941, prior to the war, in Newark, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Railroad clerk and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24J #42-72999 took off, with a crew of 10, from the Tarawa Airfield on a bombing mission over Roi Island. Possibly due to engine trouble, they crash about 15 minutes after takeoff approximately 3 miles off the east coast of Tarawa. Two explosions were heard by ground crews in Tarawa after they hit the water. The entire crew died in this crash.
The entire crews remains were recovered and they were all interred in the Marine Cemetery #33 in Tarawa.
Only two of the crew members remains, 2nd Lt. Dabrowski & S/Sgt Myers, were later located after the war and eventually returned to the families for burial in the late 1940's.
In 2017 History Flight, Inc. uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis. On Dec. 20, 2018, one set of remains was identified as U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer and his remains were interred in the Highland Memorial Park, Pottstown, PA.
In January, 2019 the remains of 1st Lt. Lurcott were recovered and his remains were interred in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
The remains of the other 6 have not been recovered.
Stephen was "Killed In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-669210
Stephen's brother Edward A. Dabrowski passed away on December 6, 2004 and was interred next to Stephen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-72999:
Alenier, Stanley J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, NY ~ "MIA"
Dabrowski, Stephen J. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NJ
Fenzel, John F. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, MD ~ "MIA"
Johnson, George M. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, DE ~ "MIA"
Lurcott, Howard T. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MO
Myers, Arthur E. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, OH
Polzien, Donald L. ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, IA ~ "MIA"
Rothman, Howard ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, NJ ~ "MIA"
Shaffer, Carl M. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Shell, James W. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, GA ~ "MIA"
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
Stephen served as a Second Lieutenant and Bombardier on B-24J #42-72999, 38th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Hudson County, New Jersey prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on January 16, 1941, prior to the war, in Newark, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Railroad clerk and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24J #42-72999 took off, with a crew of 10, from the Tarawa Airfield on a bombing mission over Roi Island. Possibly due to engine trouble, they crash about 15 minutes after takeoff approximately 3 miles off the east coast of Tarawa. Two explosions were heard by ground crews in Tarawa after they hit the water. The entire crew died in this crash.
The entire crews remains were recovered and they were all interred in the Marine Cemetery #33 in Tarawa.
Only two of the crew members remains, 2nd Lt. Dabrowski & S/Sgt Myers, were later located after the war and eventually returned to the families for burial in the late 1940's.
In 2017 History Flight, Inc. uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis. On Dec. 20, 2018, one set of remains was identified as U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer and his remains were interred in the Highland Memorial Park, Pottstown, PA.
In January, 2019 the remains of 1st Lt. Lurcott were recovered and his remains were interred in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
The remains of the other 6 have not been recovered.
Stephen was "Killed In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-669210
Stephen's brother Edward A. Dabrowski passed away on December 6, 2004 and was interred next to Stephen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-72999:
Alenier, Stanley J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, NY ~ "MIA"
Dabrowski, Stephen J. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NJ
Fenzel, John F. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, MD ~ "MIA"
Johnson, George M. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, DE ~ "MIA"
Lurcott, Howard T. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MO
Myers, Arthur E. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, OH
Polzien, Donald L. ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, IA ~ "MIA"
Rothman, Howard ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, NJ ~ "MIA"
Shaffer, Carl M. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Shell, James W. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, GA ~ "MIA"
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Hudson County, New Jersey prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on January 16, 1941, prior to the war, in Newark, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Railroad clerk and also as Single, without dependents.
B-24J #42-72999 took off, with a crew of 10, from the Tarawa Airfield on a bombing mission over Roi Island. Possibly due to engine trouble, they crash about 15 minutes after takeoff approximately 3 miles off the east coast of Tarawa. Two explosions were heard by ground crews in Tarawa after they hit the water. The entire crew died in this crash.
The entire crews remains were recovered and they were all interred in the Marine Cemetery #33 in Tarawa.
Only two of the crew members remains, 2nd Lt. Dabrowski & S/Sgt Myers, were later located after the war and eventually returned to the families for burial in the late 1940's.
In 2017 History Flight, Inc. uncovered a series of coffin burials from Cemetery #33, which were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA laboratory for analysis. On Dec. 20, 2018, one set of remains was identified as U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Carl M. Shaffer and his remains were interred in the Highland Memorial Park, Pottstown, PA.
In January, 2019 the remains of 1st Lt. Lurcott were recovered and his remains were interred in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
The remains of the other 6 have not been recovered.
Stephen was "Killed In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-669210
Stephen's brother Edward A. Dabrowski passed away on December 6, 2004 and was interred next to Stephen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-72999:
Alenier, Stanley J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, NY ~ "MIA"
Dabrowski, Stephen J. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, NJ
Fenzel, John F. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, MD ~ "MIA"
Johnson, George M. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, DE ~ "MIA"
Lurcott, Howard T. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MO
Myers, Arthur E. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, OH
Polzien, Donald L. ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, IA ~ "MIA"
Rothman, Howard ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, NJ ~ "MIA"
Shaffer, Carl M. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Shell, James W. ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, GA ~ "MIA"
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
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