Joseph Madison Price Jr. was born on September 24, 1920, in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He was the son of Joseph Madison "Joe" Price and Carrie Mittie McMahan Price. He enlisted in the service on August 21, 1942. He served in the 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner of B-17 #42-102565 nicknamed ''The Ugly Duckling'' during World War II.
On November 26, 1944, the aircraft was lost during a bombing mission over Misburg, Germany. While returning to base, the aircraft sustained severe damage from enemy anti-aircraft fire near Zwolle, Netherlands. The impact caused a runaway propeller, forcing the crew to bail out over the IJsselmeer (then known as the Zuiderzee). Tragically, all nine crew members perished, likely due to hypothermia from the frigid waters.
TSgt Price is now buried in the Mount Pleasant Baptist Cemetery, Sandy Mush, Rutherford County, North Carolina, USA. Joseph M. Price's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 2 (center), on Butterfly 20, in the bottom left wing (section c).
Source of information: B-17flyingfortress.de, www.zzairwar.nl/, www.398th.org