[Ivo de Jong]

Rolland, Mike,
Thanks for your diligent search and comments!!
I do believe that we have the right man here, and the entry on the cover of the book is in error and should be 'S.A. Stidham'. Great detective work on your part!

Rolland: please note that the link you provided to the 'winged victory' site concerns the mission of April 5, 1943 and not the one of May 4, 1943 (it's the common confusion of 'what are you reading when you see 5/4/43'...... Europeans see April 5, 1943 and Americans May 4, 1943).
The May 4 mission was flown without loss to the 8th AF.

So, since Stidham is listed as 'DNB' it seems likely that he died as a cause of illness, an accident or suicide. If he had died on board of one of the B-17's or B-24's due to flak or fighter fire, or due to anoxia, he would not have been listed as DNB, I believe.
At this moment I don't have access to Hey and Bishop's books 'losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces'. I recall that they do list the DNB's in an appendix. Does either of you have access to the volume concerned?

Again, thanks very much for your help!
Ivo de Jong