Paul R. Steichen.
Navigator · 409th Squadron · Of Dwight, IL.
The Man Behind the Name
Assigned to 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick, England. Completed 35 missions as navigator from September 1944 to April 1945.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Born Oct. 1, 1918 in Dwight, IL. Graduated Marquette University, College of Journalism, Class of 1941. Worked as dispatcher at DuPont TNT Plant, Joliet, IL until entering service September 1942. Training at Miami, FL; Hiram College, OH; San Antonio, Houston, San Angelo, San Marcos, El Paso, TX.
Discharged Dec. 2, 1945 as first lieutenant. Received four Air Medals and the Purple Heart. Assigned to Army Air Corps Convalescence Hospital at Pawling, NY as public relations director (after completing missions). Married college sweetheart Jean Kane from Dubuque, IA; five daughters, three sons. Pioneer in manufacturing and sale of automatic merchandising vending machines from 1945 until retirement in 1988. Vice president of 2nd Air Division Association, responsible for 93rd Bomb Group.