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Personal info

Full name
STITT, Paul W
Date of birth
30 May 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
New Oxford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Adams County, Pennsylvania
Religion
Protestant

Military service

Service number
O-830115
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
62nd Fighter Squadron,
56th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
11 April 1945
Place of death
The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 30 4

Immediate family

Members
John Stitt (father)
Suzanna Stitt (mother)
Merle E. Stitt (sister)
Robert M. Stitt (brother)
Mary E. Stitt (sister)
Jean E. Stitt (sister)
Charles H. Stitt (brother)
Miriam (Cashman) Stitt (wife)

More information

2nd Lt Paul W. Stitt graduated from Gettysburg High School with the class of 1941. He was employed at the Mechanicsburg Naval Depot.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 15 December 1942. After training at several different airfields, he was commissioned in April 1944. He was sent overseas on 22 December 1944 and arrived in England on 14 January 1945.

The mission took place on 10 April 1945.

Since there was little enemy fighter opposition, the P-47's were instructed to strafe after the bombers had left. Lt Stitt was doing his strafing run and got hit in the leg by small arms fire and he announced he would try and make it to The Netherlands for an emergency landing there, which he was able to do. Unfortunately he did not taxi back, he just went off the end of the run way and got stuck in the mud. When ground personnel came up to the plane he had already bled to death.

He is remembered the the Saint Pauls Lutheran Church Cemetery in Straban Township, Pennsylvania.

Considering that the mission took place on 10 April 1945, Lt. Stitt's official date of death is likely incorrect. The reason for this is unknown.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.56thfightergroup.co.uk, www.ancestry.com - Gettysburg Compiler 12 May 1945 / 1930 Census, Gettysburg Times - 5 March and 4 May 1945, The Evening Sun - 11 May 1945

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Nigel Julian