Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
SHUSTER, Joseph Stephen - Date of
birth
20 March 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
T-128796 -
Rank
Flight Officer -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
836th Bombardment Squadron,
487th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 December 1944 - Place of
death
Near Rouvreux, about 15 miles south of Liège, Belgium.
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| H | 15 | 52 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Anton L. Shuster (father)
Anna M. Shuster (mother)
Lorraine L. Shuster (wife)
Billie (March) Shuster (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38926 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Weary Willy
Destination: Babenhausen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 11675
More information
Joseph Shuster was a fireman.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve on 3 October 1943.
According to the pilot, Lt Waldron, the group was attacked by FW-190's attacked from the tail. The airplane was riddled from this attack, the whole right wing was aflame and there was fire in the bomb bay. The pilot, Lt Waldron, held it as long as he could but it was uncontrollable and fell off in a spin. He went down to the galley-way and saw Lt Eschleman, F/O Shuster, S/Sgt Andrews thrown against the right side of the airplane unable to move. Lt Waldron tried to throw them out but couldn't on account of the centrifugal force. Lt Waldron had just put his hand on his parachute when the airplane blew up and the concussion forced him out the escape hatch.
Six crew members were killed, three survived.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet / Paul Webber, Michel Beckers, William J Waldron