Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
Military
Lt. Charles F. Gumm in the cockpit of his Mustang.
![A Packard Merlin engine in a P-51B Mustang of the 354th Fighter Group, 20 January 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'The Packard V-1650-3 motor fitted to the new North American P-51B.' Printed caption also attached: '4/3 42.' Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. On reverse: Ministry of Information, Temple Press Ltd, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. - By zooming in, you can see the pilot's name listed as GUMM.](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-400806.jpg?itok=p6qZWHNg)
A Packard Merlin engine in a P-51B Mustang of the 354th Fighter Group, 20 January 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'The Packard V-1650-3 motor fitted to the new North American P-51B.' Printed caption also attached: '4/3 42.' Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. On reverse: Ministry of Information, Temple Press Ltd, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. - By zooming in, you can see the pilot's name listed as GUMM.
In memory of Charles F. Gumm of Spokane Washington, USA Whose airplane crashed in this parish March 1st 1944 on service in the 9th American Army Air Force.
Memorial mentioning Charles F Gumm in St James Church, Nayland: "And also of Charles Gumm Jr. USAAF who lost his life in avoiding damage to the village 1944"
Flight leader 355th FS 354th FG. First Merlin Mustang ace.
6 air kills/2.5 probable/8 damaged.
KIFA March 1, 1944 Nyland, England while flying P-51B s/n 43-12165.
He realized he was over the Nayland village and that if he bailed out to save himself his plane would crash into the English town and claim innocent lives. He therefore decided to remain with his plane to steer it away from the village and to attempt a forced landing. It crash landed on the banks of the river Stour near 'Court Knoll' but, unfortunately, at the last moment his Mustang hit a tree and he was thrown out of the cockpit and killed.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine | 354th Fighter Group
Flight leader 355th FS 354th FG
4 confirmed kills (2 1/2 FW-190s + 1 1/2 ME-109s) +1 probable + 6 damaged air-to-air.
Lt Col USAF retired
First pilot to fly 50 P-51 combat missions.....
Group
The Group moved to England in the autumn of 1943 and was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in December 1943. The Group were the first to fly P-51 Mustangs operationally and in their bomber escort missions pushed to find the long-range limits of the...
Squadron
P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 355FS, 354FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort to Brunswick bounced by enemy fighters crashed Hanover Pilot 2lt Rob R B McIntosh KIA (KIA) MACR 3252.
P-51 Mustang
Crashed on take off, engine failure, 1/4 mile SW Nayland, pilot Charles F Gumm Jr KIA. 1st Mar 44, Pilot elected to stay with A/C for forced landing rather than bail to save civilian lives in Nayland. A/C struck tree and ejected pilot.
Military site : airfield
Boxted was built for heavy bombers and became operational from May 1943. In the few months B-26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group were stationed there, there were two night attacks by the Luftwaffe. On 17 August 1943, one man was killed when bombs...
Other location
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Spokane, WA, USA | 29 October 1920 – 1 March 44 |
|
Son of Charles Francis Sr and Eva Alice [Perin] Gumm. |
||
| Based | Boxted | 1943 – 1 March 1944 |
|
Assigned to 355FS, 354FG, 9AF USAAF. |
||
| Died | Nayland, Colchester, Suffolk CO6, UK | 1 March 1944 |
|
Crashed on take off, engine failure, 1/4 mile SW Nayland, pilot Charles F Gumm Jr KIA. 1st Mar 44, Pilot elected to stay with A/C for forced landing rather than bail to save civilian lives in Nayland. A/C struck tree and ejected pilot. |
||
| Buried | Greenwood Memorial Terrace Spokane, Spokane County, WA | 1948 |
|
Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Spokane, WA, USA |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 17 December 2020 11:08:52 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, awards and events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60858299/charles-f.-gumm |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 January 2018 05:29:53 | fugari | Changes to role |
| Sources | ||
JCook Archives |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 December 2017 17:32:47 | bhend333 | Changes to role |
| Sources | ||
https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/chuck-gumm-the-first-mustang... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 October 2017 17:27:00 | fugari | Changes to highest rank, role, biography and awards |
| Sources | ||
JCook Photo Collection & Archives |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 April 2015 21:55:37 | usxpat | Changes to nickname and events |
| Sources | ||
Find A Grave Memorial# 60858299 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 March 2015 09:57:05 | Al_Skiff | Changes to role, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com / http://www.naylandandwiston.net |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 March 2015 22:56:08 | pms2963 | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Image obtained from the website below: |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 March 2015 22:30:54 | pms2963 | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
This information obtained from the web site below |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:05:38 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
9th Air Force Roll of Honor (IWM in liaison with Ninth Air Force veterans and group associations, American Battle Monuments Commission, and Buddies of the Ninth Association) / Unit history, 8 AF Roll, Mr V J Lewis |
||
