Walter E. Truemper

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Walter E. Truemper
October 31, 1918 - February 20, 1944

Place of birth Aurora, Illinois
Place of death Killed in action in Europe
Allegiance USAAF
Years of service 1942-1944
Rank Second Lieutenant
Unit 510th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Medal of Honor

Walter E. Truemper (1918-1944) was awarded the Medal of Honor as a member of the U.S. Army Air Forces in the Second World War.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born October 31, 1918, at Aurora, Illinois, Truemper attended business college and worked as an accounting clerk before enlisting in the U.S. Army in June 23, 1942. He served for a few months with the 174th Field Artillery at Camp Bowie, Texas, until he entered flying training. He took preflight at Ellington Field, Texas; flexible gunnery at Harlingen, Texas; and advanced navigation at Hondo, Texas, and was commissioned a 2d lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force Reserve on August 26, 1943. He served with the 796th Bomb Squadron at Alexandria, Louisiana, until sent to the Eighth Air Force as a replacement aircrew member in December, 1943, assigned to the 510th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group, based at RAF Polebrook, England.

[edit] Medal of Honor mission

On February 20, 1944, as part of a mission to Leipzig, Germany, Lt. Truemper and Sgt. Archibald Mathies, crewed together on the B-17G, 42-31763, markings TU:A, nicknamed Ten Horsepower, were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which 2d Lt. Truemper was serving as navigator was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the co-pilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged. Nevertheless, 2d Lt. Truemper and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. 2d Lt. Truemper and the flight engineer volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, 2d Lt. Truemper's commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and that they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After two unsuccessful efforts their plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. 2d Lt. Truemper, the engineer, and the wounded pilot were killed.

[edit] Trivia

A street in Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas is named in honor of 2nd Lt. Walter Truemper.

[edit] References

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