Joseph B. Hewitt Jr.

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army

Service Number: 32486680

Entered the service from: New Jersey

Died: February 4, 1945

Buried at: Plot 78 0 1034D-E, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, MO 63125

Awards: Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross

Staff Sergeant Joseph B. Hewitt Jr. was born in Pennsylvania in 1919 to Joseph B. and Anna Patterson Hewitt. The family lived as early as June 1917 at 1270 Bucknell Street in Philadelphia, PA. Joseph Hewitt Sr. worked as a “sponger” for the United States Government when he registered for the draft in June 1917, and later worked as a roofer. There were at least five children; sisters Gladys and Ella were older, while Mary and Kathryn were born after him, all in Pennsylvania. The Hewitts moved to New Jersey sometime after 1925.

When the census was taken in April 1930, the Hewitt family lived at 58 Poplar Avenue in the Kirkwood section of Voorhees Township. The elder Hewitt worked as a driver for a transportation company at that time.

After three years of high school, Joseph Hewitt Jr. had entered the work force. He was inducted into the United States Army on January 2, 1943, at Camden, NJ. By that time he had married, and there were at least two sons born of this marriage.

After entering the service, Joseph B. Hewitt Jr. was promoted to Staff Sergeant. He died due to circumstances not related to combat while in service to his country overseas on February 4, 1945. The Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando transport plane, serial number 42-107386, operated by the Air Transport Command, was lost on that day, according to Missing Air Crew Report 12033.

Staff Sergeant Hewitt Jr. was brought home to the United States after the war and was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 6, 1950. His son, Joseph B. Hewitt III, followed his father into the military and retired after 20 years of service in the United States Air Force as a Master Sergeant.

Source: American Battle Monuments Commission