Memorial

More information

2nd Lt Alfred C. Stepman joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Missoula, Montana on 16 September 1941 as a mechanic, later taking the aviation cadet training at Santa Ana, California. He was sent overseas around Christmas 1943.

Statement of 2nd Lt Vaud V. Ames :
"I was being escorted back home by my wingman, Lt Stepman. We encountered flak but no enemy aircraft on the return. Everything seemed to be normal up until we broke out over the Dutch Coast on the island of Texel, when Lt Stepman called and said, 'Ames, I am having trouble.' I looked over at him and a white smoke was coming aft of his airplane, which looked like con-trails. The smoke was intermittent. Lt Stepman then went into a series of shallow dives and climbs. The smoke quit about then. He then said, 'Ames, I'm bailing out.' I went to "B" channel for a Mayday, but it was very cluttered up. Lt Stepman then went into a steep dive and climbed up, making a half roll and bailing out. On his last final dive, I saw a large sheet of flame extending from the right engine to the tail plane. Lt Stepman's parachute opened and the last I saw of him was when he went into a cloud. I went down then, since I couldn't contact on "B" channel, to see if he got in his dinghy. I circled the area about twenty minutes, sighting neither dinghy nor parachute. Lt Stepman bailed out at 17,000 feet, about 11:20 AM."

He is remembered at the Riverside Cemetery of Fort Benton, Chouteau County, Montana.