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name
SCHAEFFER, Sterling Edward - Date of
birth
27 September 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33828267 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
725th Bombardment Squadron,
451st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 December 1944 - Place of
death
Vienna, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 23 | 2 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William O. Schaeffer (father)
Mary E. (Baylor) Schaeffer (mother)
Tovilla M. Schaeffer (sister)
James E. Schaeffer (brother)
Morris S. Schaeffer (brother)
Clarence R. Schaeffer (brother)
Allen W. Schaeffer (brother)
Margaret E. Schaeffer (sister)
Minneo I. Schaeffer (sister)
Willard H. Schaeffer (brother)
Irvin E. Schaeffer (brother)
Gertrude A. Schaeffer (sister)
William H. Schaeffer (brother)
Wayne G. Schaeffer (brother)
Joyce M. Schaeffer (sister)
Elise R. Schaeffer (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-41114 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Sassy Lassy
Destination: Vienna, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the Matzleinsdorf railroad station
MACR: 10366
More information
S/Sgt Sterling E. Schaeffer attended high school for 4 years before he enlisted in Allentown, Pennsylvania on 29 June 1943.2nd Lt John K. Lydecker:
"Aircraft Number 44-41114, piloted by 2nd Lt Lyle L. Jensen. This ship was flying number two position. Shortly after we released our bombs, he appeared to receive a direct flak hit in the bomb bay. The bomb bay then burst into flame and about five or six seconds later, the ship exploded. No parachutes were seen to emerge from the aircraft either before or after the explosion."
F/O Paul E. Strippgen:
"He apparently didn’t have time from the instant the ship was hit until she disintegrated."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930 census, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com, http://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Dec.44.html
Photo source: www.newspapers.com – The West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald Pennsylvania 12 May 1944