Memorial

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1st Lt Ralph H. Stueve graduated from Elder High School and Xavier University and worked in an automobile factory. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio on 4 August 1942. He was sent overseas in September 1944.

This was his 23rd mission.

At the time of his death his brother Paul was a lieutenant, serving at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Statement of Sgt John B. Gary and Capt Othmar A. Kemper:
"Approximately ten seconds before bombs away, ship 8505 was hit by flak in engine #4 and in the wing. The holes in the engine were not large, but there were several gashes of large size in the tank section of the wing. With fire streaming across the wing from the engine to the trailing edge, the ship dropped below the formation and pulled out to the right. A man bailed out of the nose after the ship had turned approximately 90* to the axis of attack. The chute opened immediately. The second chute appeared after a 180° turn from the axis of attack. Shortly thereafter the right wing exploded and the ship began to spin and burning as it fell. Altitude lost between the time ship was hit and the time of the explosion was not more than 2,000 feet, as the ship was under control. Although I thought I saw two chutes burning just after the explosion, I can only be positive of the first two men to leave the plane. The last I saw of ship 505 it was spinning down."