Sam Poe Umstead was born on September 20, 1922 in Virginia. He attended high school for 4 years. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Roswell Army Air Base, New Mexico on 16 April 1943. Sam served in the 563rd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group (Heavy), as a Sergeant and Engineer of #43-38869 "Paula Sue" aircraft during World War II.

The airplane was rammed by a ME-109, hitting it between the left wing and the tail. It immediately broke in half with the forward section of the plane nosing done in a flat spin and the tail section floating down. The B-17 disintegrated. Eye witnesses stated that the enemy plane was not firing as it came in and they believed that the pilot was dead. The entire crew of ten was killed. Sgt Umstead is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.abmc.gov, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com