Horace F Kepler
MilitaryPrisoner of War (POW) Hit by flak and crashed near Caen on 8/8/44 in B-17 #42-102669. Flew 32 missions. Lt. Sidney Wolfe was the original crew when he arrived at Thurleigh. Lt. Herbert Bloom and Kepler flew their first mission with Lt. Charles J. Kinsey, Jr. On 4 Jan 1944 they flew their first mission as a crew [S. Wolfe crew]. His heated suit shorted out and his face and hand was frostbit. He was grounded for a few days. On 5 Jan 1944 the crew went back to Kiel and was shot down, without Kepler. When Andrew Kata's crew arrived to the squadron, they were short a waist gunner and then Kepler was assigned to his crew. They were shot down on their last mission to Caen, France.
POW, AM OLC, DFC,
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-802416
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Damyankee
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
Places
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bloomington, Illinois, USA | 10 February 1923 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 8 August 1944 - 24 May 1945 | |
|
Died |
8 July 2011 | ||
|
Buried |
Christian County, Illinois, USA | Adams Gorden Cemetery |
Revisions
Added Birth and Burial info to events per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 73205642.
Updated POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA)
Added a connection to his pilot, Charles J. Kinsey, mentioned in the "Summary biography".
Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition MACR 8434, NARA, First Over Germany pg. 266, 306th BGA Collection, Russell Strong Index Cards, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8434 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…
