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Pvt Stephen C. Mason was a lineman.

He volunteered for the Army of the United States in Newark, New Jersey on 14 November 1942.

On 3 November 1944, he volunteered to go on patrol to capture a prisoner for questioning. He didn't return from this patrol.

He was officially declared dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.

For this action he was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously. The citation cited: on 3 November 1944, near ****, Holland. Pvt Mason, on his own free will, together with four other men, went on a daylight patrol into a heavily-fortified enemy position and by aggressive action gained specific information of the enemy disposition and strength. Their primary objective was an enemy dug in position and new log roadblock, and their secondary objective was to take prisoners. An investigation of the road block disclosed no enemy so on their own volition, they continued deep into enemy territory to seek additional information and prisoners. Through they were confronted by natural obstacles and well entrenched positions they pushed aggressively forward. Individually and by pairs they fought pill boxes and machine gun positions in an effort to drive out and capture some enemy. Several times they engaged the enemy in groups at close quarters with hand grenades. Every individual in the patrol displayed individual and collective heroism of the highest order, and despite the fact that they were alone in enemy territory against overwhelming odds they made every effort to accomplish their voluntary task. Finally they were forced to withdraw without prisoners. As a result of their action, information regarding exact enemy disposition and strength, direly needed for the defensive security of the area, was gained. Action of a larger patrol in the same area disclosed that they had also destroyed at least one enemy machine gun position. The conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity that characterized Private Mason's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Airborne Forces of the United States Army.

Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, conducted several searches of the area, but by 1950, none of the remains found around Beek could be identified as Mason. He was declared non-recoverable in January 1951.

In 2015, DPAA historians began working on a comprehensive research and recovery project focused on those missing from Operation MARKET GARDEN. During that work, they analyzed information about X-3323 Neuville, an unknown set of remains recovered from the Beek area in 1946 and buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery in the United Kingdom. Following a multidisciplinary analysis from DPAA historians, forensic anthropologists, and odontologists, it was determined X-3323 could possibly be Mason. These remains were disinterred in April 2017 and sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for examination and identification.

To identify Mason’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Mason’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margraten, Netherlands, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Mason was buried in North Arlington, New Jersey on 3 November 2022.