Date of birth:

February 11th, 1924 (Fordam/Pennsylvania, United States)

Date of death:

September 21st, 2014

Service number:

33 424 645

Nationality:

American (1776 - present, Republic)

Staff Sergeant Benjamin Z. Means was born in Fordam, Pennsylvania. He entered active service on February 5th, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Basic Training in Miami, Florida, Gunnery School at Harlingen, Texas, and Armament School at Lowry Air Base and Buckley Field, Colorado. In April 1943 he became the Waist Gunner and Second Armorer in the initial formation of Crew 11, 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force at Gowen Field, Idaho. In November 1943 Crew 11 arrived at Seething England and from December 1943 to June 1944 he completed 31 missions over northern Europe. He returned to the United States in September 1944 and was discharged October 3rd, 1945. He died on September 21st, 2014 at the age of 90 and is buried in the Valier Cemetery, Valier, Pennsylvania near where he was born.

Crew 11, B-24 Little Sheppard "41-28711" March 1944

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• Photo 1: Dan McCullough
• - Family records
  - Honorable Discharge Document
  - Awards Letter