Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
STEES, Morris Clayton
Date of birth
15 May 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Marysville, Perry County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Marysville, Perry County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
33237325
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Gunner
Unit
572nd Bombardment Squadron,
391st Bombardment Group, Medium
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
18 April 1944
Place of death
English Channel 2 miles off Calais, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Paul E. Stees (father)
Mary M. (Morris) Stees (mother)
Jennie E. Stees (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-95837
Data
Type: B-26B50
Destination: Sangatte Military Installlations OCC, France
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 4027

More information

Sgt Morris C. Stees graduated from Marysville High School in 1940. He was employed by Pennsylvania Railroad as a locomotive fireman.

He enlisted on 31 July 1942 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Statement from Vernon C. Tolbert, S/Sgt, 19176890. : "I was radio gunner in the waist position in airplane flying no. 2 position on the first box. I saw no. 6 airplane second box, nose over in a dive, and flame and smoke poured from the stricken airplane about 6,000 feet over the water. The airplane seemed to explode about 2,000 feet over the water. I saw an oil slick where the airplane hit the water. There were no chutes of dinghies visible."

None of the six Crewmembers survived. Five of them are still reported as Missing in Action, only S/Sgt Andrew R. Stevenson is reported as Killed in Action and buried at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, France.

Source of information: FOHF, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / WWII Draft Card

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, The Evening News (Harrisburg) - 11 May 1943