Stephen Spottswood “Steve” Hunter was born at New Roads, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana on September 12, 1924. His parents were Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (12 Oct 1888 – 11 May 1965), who was born at Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama; and Marie Anita (Gosserand) Hunter (5 May 1892 – 6 Feb 1969), who was born at Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. He had a sister, Marie Anita (Hunter) Hogan (24 Jul 1922 – 12 May 1987).

His father served four years in the Alabama National Guard and was a civil engineer. In 1917 his father lived at Patterson, Saint Mary Parish, Louisiana, where he was resident engineer on a Gulf Coast liner based at Houston, Texas. His parents married about 1920 and lived in New Roads, Louisiana. In 1940 the family lived in the household of his maternal grandmother, May Gosserand, in New Roads, Louisiana, and his father worked in road construction. In 1942 his father worked for Graver Tank & Manufacturing Company, a petroleum storage tank manufacturer.

He registered for the draft at New Roads, Louisiana in December 1942. He was 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighed 180 pounds, and had blue eyes and blonde hair. He completed two years of college at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Harding Field, Baton Rouge, Louisiana on December 14, 1942. He was called to active duty by Summer 1943.

He entered Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 44-E. He completed the Primary phase of training at Blythe Army Air Field, California; the Basic phase at Lemoore Army Air Field, California; and the Advanced twin-engine phase at Marfa Army Air Field, Texas, where he received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on May 23, 1944.

He was then assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Marshall W. Turner. The Turner crew completed B-17 operational training at Alexandria Army Air Field, Louisiana in October 1944, and moved to Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska before deploying to England. They were assigned to the 838th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. They arrived at Station 137 by December 13, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

On Janurary 14, 1945 the Turner crew flew its first combat mission. Lt Clement J. Kochczynski replaced Lt Turner as first pilot on this mission, while Lt Turner flew as copilot with a more experienced crew, as was the custom. The target was an oil refinery at Magdeburg, Germany. Lt Hunter and three crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft, B-17G 42-98013, collided in the target area with another B-17 in the formation. The aircraft peeled off to the right with its rudder knocked off and top turret damaged. It went into a spin from which Lt Kochczynski could not recover, and exploded. It crashed at Ventschau, Germany, due east of Luneburg, at 1340 hours. Five men survived. The dead were buried at the cemetery in Nahrendorf, Germany.

After the war Lt Hunter's remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.

B-17G 42-98013 crew:
• Kochczynski, Clement J – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Hunter, Stephen S – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Crandell, Loren W – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Clark, Thomas M – 2/Lt – Bombardier – POW
• Seeger, Roy E – Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Haulotte, Gene W – Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Scott, Frank G – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – POW
• Anchondo, William A – Sgt – Waist Gunner – POW
• Peak, William W – Sgt – Tail Gunner – POW

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com