Joseph Stephen Shuster was born on March 20, 1918 in Madison, Wisconsin. He was the son of Anton J. Schuster and Anna M. Schuster. He served in the 836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy as a Flight Officer during World War II. He was then assigned as a Navigator on the heavy bomber crew of Lt William J. Waldron. The Waldron crew completed B-17 operational training at Ardmore, Oklahoma, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The crew arrived at Station 137 by October 19, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
The Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. Lt Eshleman and five of his crewmates were killed in action on December 24, 1944 when their aircraft, B-17G 43-38926, was shot down by German fighters south of Liege, Belgium. Three men were blown clear and survived when the aircraft exploded in the air. The B-17 crashed near the village of Rouvreux, in the municipality of Sprimont, about 15 miles south of Liege, Belgium.
F/O Shuster is now buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Hombourg, Belgium.
B-17G 43-38926 crew:
• Waldron, William J – 2/Lt – Pilot – Safe
• Eshleman, Oscar F – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Shuster, Joseph S – F/O – Navigator – KIA
• Neu, Russell C – 2/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Andrew, Benedict A – S/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Ferenchak, George J – S/Sgt – Radio operator – KIA
• Baganz, Reuben F – S/Sgt – Ball turret gunner – KIA
• Isley, Eugene S – S/Sgt – Waist gunner – Safe
• Naughton, James P – S/Sgt – Tail gunner – KIA
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov/span>