Fred A. Stecher was born in November 1923 in Columbus, Ohio. He grew up on a farm in Etna, Ohio with his parents, grandfather, two cousins, and one younger sister. During the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: the Great Depression was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1939 in the United States], his family grew their own fruits and vegetables and raised livestock, which got them through that period. As recreation, he would hunt rabbits, pheasants, and quail with his cousins. During the winter, he went sledding and ice skating. During the evenings, he read books. During the summer, he liked to fish. His family home did not have plumbing or electricity until 1946. He described his mom, Clara May, as patient and sweet. She was an excellent cook and baker. His father worked at a body shop in Columbus and continued to work during the Great Depression. He believes that working on the farm helped him when he got into the service because he was used to hard work. Stecher was 19 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. He was at the local drug store having an ice cream with a friend that Sunday. On his way home, they heard over the car radio of the news of the attack. He and his friend both agreed that they were going to go and fight. Stecher was drafted into service in January 1943 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. He chose to join the Army Air Corps and was accepted. Stecher really wanted to fly, but could not pass the eye exam. He did basic training in Clearwater, Florida and stayed in a nice hotel for several days while he received vaccinations and then moved to a tent city for his training. After completing basic training, he was sent to Scott Field, Illinois for radio operator maintenance school. After several months, he was assigned to the 787th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group [Annotator’s Note: 787th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force] and was sent to New Mexico for more radio training in B-29 Bombers [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber]. His job was to make sure the radio was operating correctly. He was then sent to Camp Shanks, New York for overseas deployment. He boarded the Queen Mary ocean liner with 8,000 other troops and crossed the Atlantic Ocean in six days. The ship docked in Glasgow, Scotland. He was sent to his base in Albridge, England in March 1944.

With the 787th Bombardment Squadron, 466th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, Fred A. Stecher was sent overseas to Attlebridge, England in March 1944. His duties were to prepare the B-24 planes [Annotator's Note: Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber] for missions in the morning. He made sure the radios were working properly. Many times, crews did not return. Stecher ate in a mess hall and ate out of a mess kit and drank from a canteen. The food was okay, but the powdered eggs were bad. He lived in a small barracks with a total of 24 men. He visited the PX [Annotator's Note: post exchange] and drank a beer or other beverage. Many times, a G.I. [Annotator's Note: government issue; also a slang term for an American soldier] played the piano and entertained the other guys. At night, no lights were allowed on, and no cigarettes were allowed. He took a shuttle to the nearest town when he received a pass [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time]. He drank at the local pubs and played darts. He thought that, overall, the British treated them well. Stecher recalled that on D-Day [Annotator's Note: D-Day; the Allied invasion of Normandy, France on 6 June 1944], planes flew over to Normandy and then came back to be reloaded to fly back out again. He felt great when he saw the planes return to base. He stayed in contact with his family through the mail. Stecher received a four-day pass to Aberdeen, Scotland and was flown there by a B-24. It was a great experience and he felt free.

In December 1944 while in Attlebridge, England, Fred A. Stecher was transferred to 466th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, and then shortly after received orders back to the United States for a 30-day leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time]. The ship docked at Bradley Field, Connecticut. He boarded a train, and then took a bus to his hometown. As he was walking down the road, he saw his father driving. His father was stunned to see him and brought him home to his family. After his furlough, he reported for duty in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was then sent to Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona for B-29 [Annotator's Note: Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber] training. He was in Tucson when the war in Germany ended [Annotator’s Note: 8 May 1945]. He stayed there until August 1945. While on a train to Washington for overseas deployment, he received the news that the Japanese surrendered [Annotator’s Note: 15 August 1945]. When he arrived at Fort Lawton, Washington, his orders were canceled. Stecher was then sent to March Field, California where he was discharged as a private first class in October 1945. While at Davis-Monthan Field, he often received passes to Tucson and attended dances and ate Mexican food. He thought dropping the atomic bombs was the right thing to do because it saved lives overall. Stecher chose not to stay in the military even thought it taught him how to be a man, obedience, and fellowship. After he was discharged, he went to work and attended school on the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment]. He had a difficult time transitioning back to civilian life and getting settled. He thought the G.I. Bill was very important to many servicemen and their future success.

Fred A. Stecher’s most memorable experience of World War 2 was being deployed overseas and boarding the Queen Mary Ocean Liner. He served during World War 2 because he felt he needed to, and it was his duty. It was a privilege. He believes his war experience changed him for the better. He learned to respect others and the value of life. He is happy that he served his country and helped it remain free. He believes World War 2 is relevant today because it was one of the biggest wars in history and many new things were learned from it. The war gave America a big boost in the economy. He shared a story of a small G.I. [Annotator's Note: government issue; also a slang term for an American soldier] who needed help with his duffle bag as they boarded the ship. Stecher believes there should be institutions like the National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana], and that we should continue to teach World War 2 to future generations so that people can learn about the Greatest Generation [Annotator's Note: the term The Greatest Generation refers to the generation in the United States that came of age during the Great Depression and later fought in World War 2 and is derived from the book The Greatest Generation by American network television journalist and author Tom Brokaw].