Operation: Chalonnes (Mission #462), France

Date: 9th July 1944 (Sunday)

Unit No: 525th Bombardment Squadron (H), 379th Bombardment Group (H), 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G Pansy Yokum

Serial No: 42-38141

Code: FR:D

Base: Kimbolton (Station #117), Huntingdonshire

Location: About 8 miles (13 km) NW of Le Havre, France

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Hugh Edwin Frye Jr. O-758551 AAF Age 23. MiA

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Victor Bernard Gluckman O-768066 AAF Age 21. MiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Chester Brady Stoupe O-698386 AAF Age 19. MiA

Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Orval Wilford Epperson Jr. O-768946 AAF Age 22. MiA

Engineer: Sgt. Robert Jospeh Davids 32675804 AAF Age 22. MiA

Radio Operator: Sgt. Harry Woodrow Crites 38379758 AAF Age 31. MiA

Ball Turret Gunner: Pvt. Thomas Andrew Kunrod 13114049 AAF Age 20. KiA (1)

Waist Gunner: Sgt. Ronald Munro MacKenzie 37671441 AAF Age 19. MiA

Tail Gunner: Cpl. Lawrence Roy Eiler 37572178 AAF Age 31. MiA

Above: Caption reads: “Lt. Frye and crew of the 379th Bomb Group pose for the photographer at an 8th Air Force base in England on 1st July 1944”.

Standing left to right: Pvt. Thomas A. Kunrod, Sgt. Ervin G. Richey, Sgt. Harry W. Crites, Sgt. Ronald M. MacKenzie,Unknown, Unknown. Front left to right: 2nd Lt. Victor B. Gluckman, 2nd Lt. Hugh E. Frye Jr., 2nd Lt. Chester B. Stoupe, 2nd Lt. Orval W. Epperson.

Note: Sgt. Ervin Grant Richey 35255989 AAF Age 27, was KiA on the 8th March 1944 on a mission to Berlin. He was the Engineer aboard B-17G ‘Pansy Yokum’ and died as a result of anoxia whilst trying to close the bomb bay doors.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Above: B-17G 42-38141 ‘Pansy Yokum’ in the background.

Caption reads: “Awaiting the return of their Flying Fortresses from a US Army 8th AF bomber mission to Germany, these ground crew men get in a bit of spring football training. It’s a welcome respite from the many hours of hard work they’ve put in getting their bombers ready. Soon the returning bombers will zoom overhead and these men will go back to work for then next mission. The tent in the background near the grounded Fortress is used by the mechanics for sleeping quarter”.

On the 9th July 1944 B-17G ‘Pansy Yokum’ took-off from Kimbolton to join a force of sixty-eight (68) bombers to bomb the railway bridge at La Poissonnéire, SW of Angers, France. After take-off the aircraft failed to assemble with the group.

A German report recorded that a B-17 crashed in the sea at 08:53 hrs, about 8 miles (13 km) NW of Le Havre, which can only refer to this B-17.

(1) The body of Pvt. Kunrod was washed ashore at an unknown date and buried at an unknown location. When France was liberated his remains were recovered and initially buried at the Temporary American Cemetery at Blosville.

Burial Details:

Above: The reflecting pool in front of the Walls of the Missing at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial (Credit U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wallace 28th May 2018)

2nd Lt. Hugh Edwin Frye Jr. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 4th January 1921 in Downieville, Sierra, California. Son of Hugh Edwin and Mabel Anna (née Loeffler) Fye of Butte, Sierra, California, USA.

2nd Lt. Victor Bernard Gluckman. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 9th November 1922 in Los Angeles, California. Son of Moses and Goldie Gluckman of Los Angeles, California, USA.

2nd Lt. Chester Brady Stoupe. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Wall of the Missing. Born on the 11th November 1924 at Junction City, Geary County, Kansas. Son of Charles Brady and Esther Marie (née Honey) Stoupe of Junction City, Geary County, Kansas, USA.

2nd Lt. Orval Wilford Epperson. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 15th December in Neosho, Missouri. Son of Orval William and Therese Gertude (née DeBrosse) Epperson of Neosho, Missouri, USA.

Sgt. Robert Joseph Davids. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 26th December 1922 in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Son of Joseph and Viola Davids of Geneva, Ontario County, New York, USA.

Sgt. Harry Woodrow Crites. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 5th January 1913 in Denver, Adams County, Colorado.. Son of Vivian and Bertha Emma Josephine (née Putz) Crites. Husband to Carolina Lee (née Retalia) Crites of Denver, Colorado, USA.

Above: Grave marker for Pvt. Thomas A. Kunrod (Courtesy of Anonymous - FindAGrave

Pvt. Thomas Andrew Kunrod. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery, Drums, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on the 21st August 1949. Born on the 30th April 1924 in Eckley, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Son of Micheal and Anna Kunrod of Freeland, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Sgt. Ronald Munro MacKenzie. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 22nd February 1925 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Son of Allen J and Nellie MacKenzie of Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, USA.

Cpl. Lawrence Roy Eiler. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Normandy American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 8th August 1912 in Netherhill, Saskatchewan, Canada. Son of Wilhelm Rudolph Louis and Anna (née Michalkow) Eiler. Husband to Agnes Viola (née Lano) Eiler of Cannon Falls, Goodhue County, Minnesota, USA.

Sgt. Ervin Grant Richey. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery in Scottsburg, Scott County, Indiana. Born on the 23rd December 1916 in Finley, Scott County, Indiana. Son of Thomas L and Jane E. (née Broady) Richey of Finley, Scott County, Indiana, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Mar 2026).

Other sources listed below:

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt