2nd Lt. Stanley G. Steiner
September 29, 1924—April 25, 1944
Service #: 0-715630
Residence: Jones, Iowa
Education: Some college
Occupation: *****
Marital Status: Single
Enlistment Date: November 30, 1942
Enlistment Place: *****
Service/Unit: Army Air Force
Awards: *****
Burial: Oakwood Cemetery, Monticello, Iowa
Graduates In Gunnery Class
Lt. Stanley Steiner Is Among Group
Lt. Stanley G. Steiner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur O. Steiner, graduated from the fixed aerial gunnery base of the AAF training command at Matagorda Peninsula, Texas, last Friday in the most colorful collection of fighter pilots now in this country.
Lt. Steiner attended Iowa State college at Ames and won his wings and commission at Foster Field, Texas, in March of this year.
Thirty-nine per cent of this class are combat pilots back from the battle-skies of the Solomon and Fiji Islands, New Guinea, Africa, Pantelleria, Sicily, China, Burma or India. Admittedly among the world's most lethal airmen already, they returned to this sandy strip the Gulf of Mexico for a month's intense study of the latest scientific techniques in fighter pilot gunnery.
Source: Monticello Express, Monticello, Iowa, April 27, 1944
Lt. S. Steiner Listed Dead By Government
The war department at Washington advised Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Steiner of Monticello that their son, Lt. Stanley Steiner 19, who was reported missing last April 25 on a routine flight in Texas, has been officially listed as dead.
Lt. Steiner was born in Monticello Sept. 29, 1924, and was graduated from Hopkinton high school in 1942. He entered Iowa State college and Nov. 30, 1942, he enlisted in the army air corps and was called for active duty Feb. 2, 1943. He won his wings and commission at Foster field, Victoria, Texas, March 12, 1944, and last April 21 he was graduated from the aerial gunnery base at Matagorda peninsula, Texas. He then served as a flight instructor.
Besides his parents, a brother, Vernon, chief petty officer now serving in the Pacific area, and two sisters, Ruth and Dorothy Mae, survive.
Source: Monticello Express, Monticello, Iowa, July 27, 1944
Lt. Stanley Steiner Funeral Held Yesterday
The body of Lt. Stanley Steiner, 19, was found in his plane, according to a telegram received September 14 by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Steiner of Monticello. His body was brought to Monticello Monday morning, September 18, accompanied by First Lt. William A. Schleich.
Funeral services were held yesterday morning at 10 o'clock from the Goettsch funeral home to the Evangelical and Reformed church in Monticello. Rev. Andrew Mast, pastor of that church, was in charge of the services, assisted by Rev. Armin Tendick, pastor of the Baxter Reformed church, and a former pastor in Monticello. Interment was made Oakwood cemetery.
The services at the grave were participated in by a platpon of soldiers from the Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, III. They formed a guard of honor and acted as pallbearers. The flag covering the casket was presented to Lt. Steiner's parents. Volleys were fired and taps sounded in honor of the deceased aviator.
Airplane Discovered
Fishermen working with nets in the Matagorda Bay near Victoria, Texas, discovered the submerged plane. They had let down their nets and were pulling them up when a net caught on the wing of the plane. Army authorities were notified, and the plane was raised, and Lt. Stanley Steiner's body recovered.
The telegram received by Mr. and Mrs. Steiner September 14 stated, "The airplane in which your son, J.G. Lt. Stanley Steiner was lost April 25, 1944, has been discovered submerged in Matagorda Bay, about eight miles northeast of this station. The remains of Lt. Steiner have been taken to a funeral home in Victoria, Tex. Lt. Commander John W. William, Commanding Officer." A second telegram was received notifying as to when the body would reach Monticello from Foster Field, Texas.
Born In 1924
Lt. Steiner was born Sept 1924, near Hopkinton he was graduated from the Hopkinton high school with the class 1942 and completed his first quarter of study at Iowa State college. He enlisted in the air corps Nov. 30, 1942, and was called to active duty Feb. 2, 1943. He was given two months training in Kansas City and transferred to San Antonio, Texas.
After his basic and preflight training at Greenville and Stanford, Texas, he attended an advanced school at Victoria, Texas. receiving his wings and commission March 12, 1944. Lt. Steiner was detailed for a course in aerial gunnery and was named instructor at Matagorda Peninsula post, in which capacity he was serving at the time of his ill-fated flight.
Lt. Steiner had taken his plane up for a local flight at 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, and failed to return. Searching parties abandoned hope after combing the area within a 125 mile radius.
Survivors
In addition to his parents, Lt. Steiner is survived by two sisters at home, Ruth and Dorothy Mae, and a brother, Chief Petty Officer Vernon Steiner, a storekeeper in the navy, who has just come back from the South Pacific and is now located at San Pedro, Calif. He is home on leave.
Source: Monticello Express, Monticello, Iowa, September 21, 1944
