Peter Kucher

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-27698.jpeg UPL 27698 Warming up after a safe return from a raid on Norway, is S/Sgt. Frank C. Rumberger [ Johnston, Pa ], while S/Sgt. Peter Kucher [ Pittsburgh, Pa ], enjoys his coffee and admires Sgt. Rumberger's jacket. Both are crew members of the Boeing B-17 'Lucifer, Jr 42-29988 " - 42-29988 Lucifer Jr (381st BG 535th BS MS-S) transf to 305th BG 364th BS (WF-A) on 22 Aug 43, lost on Schweinfurt on 14 Oct 43.

NARA Ref 342-FH-3A14795-80576AC.

www.fold3.com

Object Number - UPL 27698 - Warming up after a safe return from a raid on Norway, is S/Sgt. Frank C. Rumberger [ Johnston, Pa ], while S/Sgt. Peter Kucher [ Pittsburgh, Pa ],...

Radio operator, Wilson, A crew. Assigned to 534BS, 381BG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x combat missions. Also from 535th BS. Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshaffen in B-17 42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Mission #58 to the IG Farben plant at Ludwigshafen, Germany. Damaged by flak, the a/c fell behind and was attacked by fighters. The crew baled out when fire broke in No 1 and No 2 engines and a/c exploded at 500 ft. Hit in chest by 20mm cannon shell. Killed in Action (KIA). 7-Jan-44. MACR 1873. Buried in the Ardennes AMC.

Pittsburgh, PA



Awards: AM, PH.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.

381st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Joseph F Connolly

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-739544
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
Sgt. John “Jack” Francis Embach

John Francis Embach

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36533448
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Robert J Geraghty

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12160072
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Anthony E Greco

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11031365
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

George Elmer Hawkins

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35208958
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

42-29988

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Uncouth Bastard
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (GD-M, serial number 42-3078) of the 534th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: '381st BG.' On reverse: George J. Letzter [Stamp].

42-3078

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Winsome Winn
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 100th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 534th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Allegheny County, PA, USA 27 January 1917 Son of Michael K and Anna [Melynk] Kucher.

Enlisted

Pittsburgh, PA, USA 31 July 1942 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Died

Saarbrücken, Germany 7 January 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) Ludwigshaffen in B-17F 42-3078 'Winsome Winn'. Damaged by flak, the a/c fell behind and was attacked by fighters. The crew baled out when fire broke out in #'s 1 & 2 engines, a/c exploded at 500 ft. KIA. 7-Jan-44. MACR 1873.

Buried

Saarbrücken, Germany 8 January 1944 Interred Saarbrücken Cemetery
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Based

Ridgewell 7 January 1944 Assigned to 534BS, 381BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Re-Interred Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Plot B Row 41 Grave 53

Buried

Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial Temporary Internment Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial St Avold

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56359256/peter-kucher

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28693429
https://www.fold3.com/page/529855716_peter_kucher/details/
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763645/?terms=Peter%20Kucher
https://www.fold3.com/page/86970012_peter_kucher/details/
http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=325529
http://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/fr/american-war-cemeter…
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56359256

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 1873, 8th AF Losses / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1873 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Peter Kucher: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 27698 - Warming up after a safe return from a raid on...