The R. R. (Bob) Steven family, 422 West State street, Algona, presents a fine record toward members of the family in the service of Uncle Sam. Five sons are wearing U. S. uniforms and one daughter is married to a husband also a part of our fighting forces. There are 12 children in the Steven family and those at home are not of age to serve their country as yet. Those at home are Gaitha, Ivaloe, Dean, Darrell, Orella and Wendell. The daughter married is Emily (Mrs. Virgil Shackleford.) Her husband has been in the Navy since July a year ago and at this time is with the fleet in the South Pacific area. They have three children. Mrs. Shackleford is living in Algona
FIVE IN SERVICE
The five sons who are now a part of the armed forces are:
ROBERT STEVEN, JR.
(photo in the upper right hand)
It was on Armistice Day, 1943, that Robert, now 25, joined up with the Navy. He is now taking a course in radar work at a school in Boston, Mass. He is married to a Ringsted girl and the wife and young son live in Ringsted. Prior to his enlistment, he was employed in the Gamble store here.
2ND LT. RAYMOND E. STEVEN
(photo in the lower right hand)
On Jan. 15, 1942, Raymond E. Steven, now 24, joined the air corps. He received his pilot training at air camps in Texas. He was assigned to a field in Puerto Rico about a year, after which he came back to this country and was then sent to Italy where he is flying a bomber and has been active in the past six months. He was home on leave during Christmas, 1942. Prior to his entry into the navy air force, he was employed by Harry Bode.
The War Department notified Mr. and Mrs. Steven on Wednesday night of last week that their son, Raymond Steven, had been seriously wounded in action in the Rome, Italy, are on May 31st, and that he was being treated in a base hospital in southern Italy. A letter from Raymond written June 3, and received here Thursday informed his parents that his nose was broken and that he had received some bad shell bruises. He questioned whether he would be returned to his flight squadron following recovery.
S-SGT. WILBUR R. STEVEN
(photo in top center)
It was on Aug. 19, 1942, that Wilbur R. Steven, now 22, joined up with the signal corps of the Army. He received his training at Camp Crowder, Mo. In February of 1943, he married Miss Erlis Burgardt, ofr Britt, in Missouri, and the following April he was assigned to duty in New Guinea and has been there the past year. Prior to his entry into service, he was employed at Woodward’s. His wife lives here, conducting a beauty shop.
PVT. GEORGE T. STEVEN
(photo in upper left hand)
On March 1, 1943, George T. Steven, now 21, enlisted in a paratrooper detachment and he has been taking training the past year in several southern camps. He is at present stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. He was hone on furlough during Christmas of 1943, and is due for another leave within the next week or so. Prior to his entry into service he was employed at Swift’s. George arrived in Algona last Tuesday and spent until Thursday with his parents and friends, leaving for Texas to visit a few days with friends before returning to his Georgia camp.
PVT. LYLE M. STEVEN
(photo in lower left hand)
On Sept. 19, 1943, the young’s of the eligible Steven boys, Lyle M. Steven, now 19, entered an army air gunnery school and is taking a course in bomber gunnery. Since joining, he has been home on furlough, spending two weeks with his parents and friends here in May. His address is Pvt. Lyle M. Steven, Student Reception Pool, A. A. A. T., Harlingen, Texas.
Source: The Algona Upper Des Moines, June 20, 1944 (photos included)
ALGONA BOY IN FIRST AIR RAID OVER GERMANY
An Eighth Air Force Bomber Station, England—Sgt. Lyle M. Steven, 20-year old B-17 Flying Fortress tail gunner, recently received full fledged initiation into the society of combat flyers, when he participated in his first Eighth Air Force attack, a bombing of a factory near Magdeburg, Germany.
After Steven’s group had bombed the objective, 25 Messerschmitt 109’s and Focke-Wulf 190’s , attacking from the side, dove at his formation. One Messerschmitt singled out the Steven plane and headed straight for its side.
The attacking fighter was firing 20-milimeter shells at the Fort from 1,000 yards. The waist and ball turret gunners opened fire on the Nazi, and though they did not succeed in shooting down the enemy craft, they forced it to give up the attack.
“I sure would have liked to get a few shots at him,” Steven said, “but he never got into position where I could let him have it.”
Son of R. R. Steven, Algona, Ia., Sergeant Steven, was an interior painter before entering the army air forces in August, 1943. His wife, Mrs. Joy Mae Steven, lives at Earle, Ark.
Sergeant Steven is a member of the 48th bomb group, a unit of the Eighth Air Force’s famed Third Air Division—the division cited by the President for its England-Africa shuttle-bombing of Messerschmitt plants at Regensburg, Germany.
Source: Kossuth County Advance, February 6, 1945
Lyle Merle Steven was born Feb. 17, 1925 to Robert Richard and Alta Esther Grimm Steven.
Lyle served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Source: ancestry.com
