Pius Gregory Kuntz

Military
media-22303.jpeg UPL 22303 Pilot 2Lt Pius Kuntz from 392nd FS 367th Fighter Group nose art “Napoleons Delight Nin” P-38J Lightning code H5-F, Pius G Kuntz

Object Number - UPL 22303 - Pilot 2Lt Pius Kuntz from 392nd FS 367th Fighter Group nose art “Napoleons Delight Nin” P-38J Lightning code H5-F,

Pius, son of Jacob Kuntz and Theresia Mastel, was born in Napoleon North Dakota in 1920. After high school he attended North Dakota State College for a year until he had an opportunity to work as a machinist in Los Angeles, California.



In California, he met 19-year-old Virginia Jaycox and in 1941 they eloped to Las Vegas. They lived in Van Nuys California near an airbase where Pius began flying. Pius loved flying and in July 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and accepted as an Aviation Cadet in 1943.



2nd Lieutenant Pius G Kuntz was soon flying combat missions over German skies in WWII. Pius was part of the 9th Air Force, 367th Fighter Group, nicknamed The "Dynamite Gang", 392th Fighter Squadron in Belgium and later in Clastres Airfield in France. The Fighter Squadron, codenamed "Nobhole", was led by group commander Edwin S. Chickering and the 392nd made quite a record. Pius flew over 45 successful sorties and was shot down twice. The second time was fatal.



On 25 March 1945, flying a P-47D Thunderbolt fighter, Pius was on a dive bombing mission, the target was in Aschaffenburg. He was shot down near Dettingen, Germany by enemy flak. He was only 24 years old when he was killed in action serving our country.



Pius was a true hero.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Droop Snoot".
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Droop Snoot
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 3
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 371st Fighter Group 404th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Died

25 March 1945

Born

Napoleon, ND 58561, USA

Born

Van Nuys, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Capitalized the words in the "Role/job" field to aid readability.

 

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added events from existing info in biography field.

Date
ContributorFred
Changes
Sources

Information was shared by Geri Mastel, Marjorie Jaycox Seltmann, Denise Yanega, members of the 367th fighter group, and the USAAF mission report.

Date
ContributorFred
Changes
Date
ContributorFred
Changes
Sources

Information was shared by Geri Mastel, Marjorie Jaycox Seltmann, Denise Yanega, members of the 367th fighter group, and the USAAF mission report

Pius Gregory Kuntz: Gallery (1 items)