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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
Personal info
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