Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
STOWITS, Duane E - Date of
birth
5 January 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Midland County, Michigan -
Hometown
Midland, Midland County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16057532 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
748th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
7 October 1944 - Place of
death
Stettiner Haff, Poland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Glenn H. Stowits (father)
Doris N. (Richardson) Stowits (mother)
Evelyn Stowits (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97638 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Follow Me
Destination: Politz, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
MACR: 9773
More information
Duane Stowits joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Saginaw, Michigan, on 20 June 1942.The airplane was hit by flak just after bombs away, causing a fire in engine #3 and the right wing. The pilot made a diving maneuver to try to put out the flames.
Five crew members were killed, five men survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Stowitts-Ireland/Covey-Stearns Family Tree
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org)