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name
STEINMANN, Bill H - Date of
birth
25 September 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Bronx, Bronx County, New York -
Hometown
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
12083516 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Turret Gunner -
Unit
701st Bombardment Squadron,
445th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 February 1944 - Place of
death
South of Gotha in vicinity of Hersfeld, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| P | 8 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Steinmann (father)
Delia (Murphy) Steinmann (mother)
Charlotte F. Steinmann (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-7515 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Gotha, Germany
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 2550
More information
Enemy fire had blasted tail turret.Bill didn´t bail out. He never responded to the order to prepare to bail out. A rocket hit their rudder, blew half of it off. The crew never heard from Bill after that attack. According to the waist gunner S/Sgt Steinmann was either unconscious or dead. There was blood smeared all over the turret. The waist gunner couldn´t investigate because they were under attack for two and a half hours. All other crewmembers bailed out and landed safely.
He was initially buried at the cemetery of Soisdorf, Germany.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com MACR, New York, New York Birth Index
Photo source: Peter Schouteten