Veterans Stories

Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing
2017 North Greenfield Road
Mesa, Arizona 85215
Phone 480-924-1940
Fax 480 981-1954
www.arizonawingcaf.com

Steve Domladovac
2nd Lieutenant, Navigator
91st Bomb Group 322 Squadron
8th Airforce, Bassingbourn

A Letter Home September 1943

A letter from about my moms brother Steve, that was a navigator aboard a B-17 Bomber. Steve along with his crew were killed on a bombing mission over Germany on December 1, 1943 during WW II.

Steve Domladovac

Steve flew with the 91st Bomb Group out of Bas sing bourn England. He is buried at the American Cemetery at Nueville en Cortdiz in Liege, Belgium. Over 7,500 American service men are interned here, 60% are aircrew killed on bombing missions. My mother and her family have never had a chance to visit the place where her bother is buried. October 1999 I visited the American Cemetery at Neuville en Cortdiz to lay flowers on Steve’s gravesite for my mom and to bring photos back for her. Standing among a sea of white crosses you can not express the feeling that you feel toward these special heroes. These young men gave up all of their tomorrows so that we could have ours today.

The following is part from one of Steve’s letters the day before he left the States to start flying his combat missions with the 91st Bomb Group out of England.

Sept 20, 1943
Dear Ann & Family,
There has been a lot of preventing me from writing of calling sooner. We've been run ragged the last five days. I couldn't call because the pay phones have always been crowded. When I could call, you or Frances wouldn't be home otherwise Mom & Dad wouldn't understand what I wanted to say. Were getting combat lectures, equipment and getting instruments calibrated on our ships. We got the newest B-17G series. There pretty much an improvement over the older ones. We expect to leave tomorrow. Of course I don't know if it England or Africa, but I expect it to be England. Enclosed are a few pictures of myself, also my will.

I'm sending my khaki uniform home. We aren't allowed to wear them in England. We were told to send them home so figure it out for yourself. Tell Mary that I will write her when I get overseas. Tell Fritz to be on the ball so that you two can make it easy as possible for Mom and Dad. This is the moment they've been dreading to see.

On the way to Newfoundland, we will pass pretty close to home, if a B-17 buzzes the neighborhood you'll know it was crew 28.

Ill have to put in 25 missions before I come back. I'm hoping I can get them in before the European War is over in order to keep from going to the Japanese theater. My beliefs are that it will be over in March. I think I will have my mission in by then. We can come back to the states but I'm figuring on over for a spell, unless the St. Louis woman is too convincing for me. I also think my chances are very good of coming back. I believe my first mission will fall about the middle of October.

Ill need a lot of luck and prayers, will power and guts in the next few months. I hope I will have all of those requisites.

Its awful hard to write a letter before going over. I've got a lot to say but it just wont come out.
Tell Mom and Dad that I will promise to do my best for them. I want them to be proud of me and will try to live up to our name. Don't worry about me, will write when I get over

With all my love
Your Son and Brother
Steve

Their B-17 was named Mizpah. Crew was missing on a bombing mission to Leverkusen, Germany on
December 1, 1943.
Leonard Anderson – Pilot
Harry Holinger – Copilot
Clinton Copeland – Bombadier
Steve Domladovac – Navigator
Evert Rose - Engineer
Robert Pendergast - Radio Operator
Albert Ross - Ball Turret Gunner
Joseph Campbell - Waist Gunner
Wayne Houser - Waist Gunner
Charles Shelly - Tail Gunner

Domladovac, Anderson, and Shelly are buried at the American Cemetary at Neuvill-en-Condroz in Liege, Belgium.
The remainder of the crew are buried at the American Military Cemetary in Missouri.

Letter sent by Rick Senffner
Wing Leader
Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing
Steve Domladovac was my Uncle.