Le Roy Edgar Aulthouse
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
This photo is of my father, Grover Price Prillaman, and his sister, Esther Willard (Billie) Prillaman Althouse. She is the widow of Sergeant LeRoy Edgar Althouse, WAIST GUNNER | 390TH BOMB GROUP. "He was the Right Waist Gunner aboard B-17 tail #42-39887, of the 390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron. The B-17 was nicknamed “Pickle Dropper IV,” in honor of the pilot of the crew, LT Hugh A. Pickell. On June 5, 1944, the B-17 was last seen “burning on the water” off Dieppe, France. There were no survivors of this crew, and no remains were ever recovered." AAM quote.
Object Number - UPL 23032 - Widow of Sergeant LeRoy Edgar Aulthouse; Esther Willard (Billie) Aulthouse & her brother Grover Price Prillaman.
Shot down 5 June 1944 in B-17 #42-39887 "Pickle Dropper IV". Plane crashed into Channel. Killed in Action (KIA).
He was married to Esther W. Aulthouse. His hometown was Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and he entered the Air Corps on January 7, 1943. He was the Right Waist Gunner aboard B-17 #42-39887 of the 390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron. The B-17 was nicknamed “Pickle Dropper IV”, in honor of the pilot of the crew, Lt Hugh A. Pickell. On June 5, 1944, the B-17 was last seen “burning on the water” off Dieppe, France. Sgt Aulthouse is still listed as Missing In Action (MIA).
Connections
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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: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35090696
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-755626
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32553930
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15394225
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15320641
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pickle dropper iv
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 5 June 1944
- Official Description:
Places
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA | 21 April 1921 | Sergeant Leroy E. Aulthouse was born on April 21, 1921, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar H. Aulthouse. His hometown was Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. |
|
Enlisted |
7 January 1943 | Roanoke, Virginia | |
|
Died |
Dieppe, France | 5 June 1944 | On June 5, 1944, the B-17 was last seen “burning on the water” off Dieppe, France. There were no survivors of this crew, and only the remains of Left Waist gunner Joe Carini were recovered. |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
English Channel | 5 June 1944 | in the loss of B-17 #42-39887, off the coast of Dieppe, France |
|
Other Memorialized |
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium | on the Tablets of the Missing at the Ardennes American Cemetery |
Revisions
MACR 5480
WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
ABMC website
IDPF and/or crash report researched by Bill Beigel. IDPF donated to American Air Museum by Bill Beigel. For more information about this flyer, you may contact http://ww2research.com.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5480 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database