Howard Joseph Schwegel was born on May 24, 1916, in Dayton, Ohio. He resided in Montgomery County, Ohio prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on March 13, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky. Howard had graduated from high school and took a career in the mechanical treatment of metals; forging, rolling, and pressing until joining the USAAF in 1941. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the mechanical treatment of metals and also as Single without dependents.

In March 1944 Howard completed his combat training at Tucson Arizona with the rest of the crew before flying in their allocated B24J (44-40146) “Sugar-N-Spice” across the Atlantic to North Pickenham in April 1944. Commencing operations on 11th May with the first of eight successful missions three of which are known to have been in “Sugar-N-Spice” the remainder were flown in a selection of aircraft as they became available. The fatal ninth mission was in B24 H (42-95160) which was on its fourth mission with the 856 BS.

A gunner on the airplane, B-24H #42-95160 took off from England on a bombing mission over Avord, France. For an unknown reason, the plane stalled and spun out of control, and crashed at Garvestone, Norfolk, England.

Sgt Schwegel is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.garveston12.org.uk