He was born to Bernon S. and Irene Steere. He was shown as a lodger in 1940 with Harold and Dorothy Smith and their children. Prior to entering the service, he had completed four year of high school, was single and worked in the petroleum refining industry. He enlisted on 4 Feb 1942 in Providence, RI, receiving his basic training at Ft. Benning, GA and was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn, Battery D. During his service, he served in England, France, Germany and Austria. Army assignments included Third Army (Gen. Patton), XX Corps (Gen. Walker). He returned Sept. 1945 aboard the "Howard Victory" to Boston with the rest of the 455th AAA Bn. His final rank was Sergeant, Chief of an Antiaircraft Gun Crew.
In an interview in 2000, Sgt. Steere stated he joined the unit at Ft. Benning, GA. In 1944 and 1945, in France and Germany, his unit guarded Field Artillery units from German air attack. Many of the artillerymen were black G.I.s. His gun crew, #5, in 'D' Battery, shot down two German planes on Jan. 1,1945. When he went to inspect one plane his men had shot down, the German pilot was sitting upright in the cockpit, dead. The pilot looked 'like a 15-year-old' to Sgt. Steere. The plane did not look damaged to him. Other German planes in the attack had 'kicked up dust around us'. These were two of the ten planes the 455th AAA Bn. shot down on that day.
In an interview in 2000, Sgt. Steere stated he joined the unit at Ft. Benning, GA. In 1944 and 1945, in France and Germany, his unit guarded Field Artillery units from German air attack. Many of the artillerymen were black G.I.s. His gun crew, #5, in 'D' Battery, shot down two German planes on Jan. 1,1945. When he went to inspect one plane his men had shot down, the German pilot was sitting upright in the cockpit, dead. The pilot looked 'like a 15-year-old' to Sgt. Steere. The plane did not look damaged to him. Other German planes in the attack had 'kicked up dust around us'. These were two of the ten planes the 455th AAA Bn. shot down on that day.
He was born to Bernon S. and Irene Steere. He was shown as a lodger in 1940 with Harold and Dorothy Smith and their children. Prior to entering the service, he had completed four year of high school, was single and worked in the petroleum refining industry. He enlisted on 4 Feb 1942 in Providence, RI, receiving his basic training at Ft. Benning, GA and was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn, Battery D. During his service, he served in England, France, Germany and Austria. Army assignments included Third Army (Gen. Patton), XX Corps (Gen. Walker). He returned Sept. 1945 aboard the "Howard Victory" to Boston with the rest of the 455th AAA Bn. His final rank was Sergeant, Chief of an Antiaircraft Gun Crew.
In an interview in 2000, Sgt. Steere stated he joined the unit at Ft. Benning, GA. In 1944 and 1945, in France and Germany, his unit guarded Field Artillery units from German air attack. Many of the artillerymen were black G.I.s. His gun crew, #5, in 'D' Battery, shot down two German planes on Jan. 1,1945. When he went to inspect one plane his men had shot down, the German pilot was sitting upright in the cockpit, dead. The pilot looked 'like a 15-year-old' to Sgt. Steere. The plane did not look damaged to him. Other German planes in the attack had 'kicked up dust around us'. These were two of the ten planes the 455th AAA Bn. shot down on that day.
In an interview in 2000, Sgt. Steere stated he joined the unit at Ft. Benning, GA. In 1944 and 1945, in France and Germany, his unit guarded Field Artillery units from German air attack. Many of the artillerymen were black G.I.s. His gun crew, #5, in 'D' Battery, shot down two German planes on Jan. 1,1945. When he went to inspect one plane his men had shot down, the German pilot was sitting upright in the cockpit, dead. The pilot looked 'like a 15-year-old' to Sgt. Steere. The plane did not look damaged to him. Other German planes in the attack had 'kicked up dust around us'. These were two of the ten planes the 455th AAA Bn. shot down on that day.
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SGT US ARMY; WORLD WAR II
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