Earl William Kreps was born on March 10, 1922, in McKees Rocks, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Cochran L. and Isabel Mae Perrott Kreps. He was married to Gayle Sakal Kreps. He enlisted in the service on September 29, 1942. He served in the 765th Bomb Squadron, 461st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-24J #42-50953, nicknamed "Flying Finger," during World War II.

On December 17, 1944, the “Flying Finger” took off from Torretta, Italy, as part of Mission No. 151 to bomb the synthetic oil refinery at Odertal, Germany. The “Flying Finger,” piloted by 2Lt Phillip Crossman, was last seen around 11:45 a.m. near Muglitz, Moravia. It never returned. The aircraft went down south of Neutitschein (now Nový Jičín, Czech Republic) after encountering heavy flak and German fighters, with four crewmen killed and the rest wounded or taken prisoner.

2Lt Kreps was taken prisoner and held at Stalag Luft IV at Groß Tychow . Named Home Builder of the Year in 1968, he was active in the Home Builders of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the North Side Builders Association. He died on July 9, 1983, and is now buried in the Christ Episcopal Church Memorial Garden, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Source of information: 461st.org, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.findagrave.com