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SGT Joseph Medved

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SGT Joseph Medved Veteran

Birth
Yukon, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death
23 Nov 1942 (aged 22)
France
Burial
Saint-James, Departement de la Manche, Basse-Normandie, France Add to Map
Plot
Wall of the Missing
Memorial ID
View Source
He was the son of Mike and Barbara Medved.

Medved was the tail gunner on B-17F #41-24503, nicknamed "Pandora's Box", assigned to the 8th Air Force, 91st Bombardment Group, 324th Bombardment Squadron. They were part of a ten plane formation on a mission to bomb the U-boat base at St Nazaire France. They came under attack from sixteen German FW 190 fighters when crossing the coast, and the attacks continued as they neared the target. Because of heavy damage, the pilot turned his plane towards the sea, accompanied by three other B-17s. They had two engines out so his plane couldn't keep up with the others or maintain altitude. He signaled for them to maintain speed as he steadily drifted farther behind, finally making a forced landing in the water approximately thirty miles northwest of St Nazaire. None of the men on board survived.

Because his body was not recovered, he is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing. He received the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
He was the son of Mike and Barbara Medved.

Medved was the tail gunner on B-17F #41-24503, nicknamed "Pandora's Box", assigned to the 8th Air Force, 91st Bombardment Group, 324th Bombardment Squadron. They were part of a ten plane formation on a mission to bomb the U-boat base at St Nazaire France. They came under attack from sixteen German FW 190 fighters when crossing the coast, and the attacks continued as they neared the target. Because of heavy damage, the pilot turned his plane towards the sea, accompanied by three other B-17s. They had two engines out so his plane couldn't keep up with the others or maintain altitude. He signaled for them to maintain speed as he steadily drifted farther behind, finally making a forced landing in the water approximately thirty miles northwest of St Nazaire. None of the men on board survived.

Because his body was not recovered, he is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing. He received the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Inscription

SGT 324 BOMB SQ 91 BOMB GP (H) PENNSYLVANIA

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from Pennsylvania



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  • Maintained by: dfr
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 7, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56353120/joseph-medved: accessed ), memorial page for SGT Joseph Medved (12 Apr 1920–23 Nov 1942), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56353120, citing Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-James, Departement de la Manche, Basse-Normandie, France; Maintained by dfr (contributor 47109209).