Harold Eugene ‘Pinky’ Sterling was born Nov. 3, 1926 to Harold Bernard and Lula Frances Hughes Sterling. He died Nov. 8, 1955 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Eagle Grove, IA.
Capt. Sterling entered the air force in Dec. 1943 and received his commission as pilot officer in Oct. 1948. He served overseas with the air force in Korea. At the time of his death he was attached to the 341st Squadron of the 97th Bomb Wing and was based at El Paso, TX.
Capt. Sterling lost his life in a jet bomber crash near Marlin, TX. As a final tribute to the popular air force Captain three B-47-B Jet bombers from Biggs Air Force Base at El Paso, TX flew over Eagle Grove during the service at the cemetery. Two of the big bombers flew high and one roared low over the grave during the service as a salute to Captain Sterling. The two bombers above circled in the “missing man formation”. The pilots were from the 341st Squadron of the 97th Bomb Wing to which Captain Sterling was attached.
Source: ancestry.com
