World War II Honoree

Steve Bednar, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hazleton, Pennsylvania

SERVED FROM NOVEMBER 28, 1942 UNTIL HIS DEATH ON FEBRUARY 10, 1945. SERVED WITH THE 484TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 505TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VERY HEAVY), 20TH AIR FORCE. ASSIGNED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS STATIONED AT NORTH FIELD ON TINIAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON FEBRUARY 10, 1945, HE FLEW AS THE RADIO OPERATOR ABOARD A B-29 SUPERFORTRESS NICKNAMED 'SASSY LASSY'. IT WAS ONE OF 120 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-WING GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY PLANT AT OTA ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOKYO, JAPAN. WHILE OVER THE TARGET AREA, THE GROUP WAS ATTACKED BY A BAND OF NAKAJIMA KI-44 SINGLE-ENGINE 'TOJO' FIGHTER PLANES. HIS B-29 WAS FORCED OUT OF GROUP FORMATION AND SHOT DOWN, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE AIRCREW. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AND THE AIR MEDAL.