World War II
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Fallen
Fallen
County:
Barnes
Date of Loss:
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Rank:
First Lieutenant
Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
428th Bomber Squadron, 310th Bomber Group, Medium
Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
428 Bomber Squadron
Regiment / Group / Brigade:
310th Bomber Group
Medals and Honors:
Silver Star
Circumstances:
Killed in action near Italy.
Biography:
Jordan Ellsworth Keister was born on May 5, 1920, in Valley City, Barnes County, North Dakota, to Edward Jordan (Eddie) Keister and Mable Elizabeth Nelson Keister.
First Lieutenant Keister was killed in action on March 10, 1945, in Ora, Provincia di Bolzano, Trentio-Alto Adige, Italy and is buried at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Citta, Metropolitana di Firenze, Toscana, Italy, Plot H, Row 6, Grave 36. Received Silver Star and Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters.
From Find a Grave:
Jordan Keister was born in Valley City, North Dakota to Edward Jordan Keister and Mable L. Keister, nee Nelson. He went to Valley City High School and was active in athletics. He was an outgoing and fun-loving young man, well-liked by many of those who knew him. In 1942, Jordan married Margaret Vivian Anderson. They had one child, Lawrence Edward Keister. Jordan served in WW II as a pilot of medium bombers and was killed in action in World War II on March 10, 1945, near the end of the war in Europe.
WORLD WAR II SERVICE FOR JORDAN E. KEISTER
1st Lt. Keister enlisted from North Dakota in the Army Air Force and served with the 310th Bomber Group, Medium, 428th Bomber Squadron.
He was a pilot on medium bombers, B-25, in North Africa and then in Italy. On March 10, 1945, while on a bombing mission of the Ora Rail Division Bridge in northern Italy, Lt. Keister's B-25 (Silver Slipper, #43-25729) was hit by antiaircraft fire. The right wing fell off, and the B-25 crashed in the nearby mountains, killing Lt. Keister and other crew members.
WW II Service Awards:
★ Silver Star
★ Air Medal with 4 oak clusters
★ American Campaign Medal
★ World War II Victory Medal
WORLD WAR II SERVICE FOR JORDAN E. KEISTER
1st Lt. Keister enlisted from North Dakota in the Army Air Force and served with the 310th Bomber Group, Medium, 428th Bomber Squadron.
He was a pilot on medium bombers, B-25, in North Africa and then in Italy. On March 10, 1945, while on a bombing mission of the Ora Rail Division Bridge in northern Italy, Lt. Keister's B-25 (Silver Slipper, #43-25729) was hit by antiaircraft fire. The right wing fell off, and the B-25 crashed in the nearby mountains, killing Lt. Keister and other crew members.
WW II Service Awards:
★ Silver Star
★ Air Medal with 4 oak clusters
★ American Campaign Medal
★ World War II Victory Medal
Inscription
1 LT 428 BOMB SQ 310 BOMB GP (M) NORTH DAKOTA
Sources: Ancestry/Find a Grave