Freeland Dunker was a member of the 463rd Bombardment Group aka the "Swoose Group." He was a bomber pilot in WWII. He died in 1944 when the plane he was in had trouble. He stayed behind to fly the plane while the rest of his crew jumped to safety. He didn't make it. He jumped from the plane and they think he hit his head while jumping. The ironic part of it is that the plane glided into a safe landing.
Contributed by Jennifer Craig
========================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, September 27, 1944; pg. 1
Killed In Action
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker received a telegram from the War Department stating that their son, First Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was reported missing on July 8, had been killed in action on the same day. Lt. Dunker was stationed with the 15th Army Air Force in Italy and was the pilot of a B-17-G.
==============================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, May 26, 1948; pg. 1
WORLD WAR II CASUALTY LIST
Lt. Freeland Dunker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; born Nov. 5, 1919; inducted November, 1941; killed in action in Yugoslavia, July 8, 1944.
===================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, October 25, 1944; pg. 1
Memorial Services Held For Lt. Dunker
DIED IN ACTION PARACHUTING FROM PLANE OVER YUGOSLAVIA
On Sunday October 22, a memorial service was held in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, for Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was killed in action on his 49th mission over Vienna, Austria, parachuting from his plane over Yugoslavia on July 8, 1944. The choirs of Trinity congregation rendered appropriate selections and Pastor A. H. Mette spoke on Hebrews 4:9.11. Representations of the Deshler Post of the American Legion and the Bruning Air Base were present. The church was filled to capacity.
Freeland John Ludwig Dunker was born on Nov. 5, 1919, in Hebron, Nebr., the son of Herman Dunker and his wife Sophie, nee Grundman. On Nov 16 he was baptized in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, of which he remained a member until his death. In 1934 he was confirmed after having received his elementary education in Trinity Lutheran school. After confirmation he attended Deshler high school, graduating in 1938.
On Nov. 15, 1941, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of our country, serving with the Field Artillery for six months at Camp Polk and Indio, California. In August of 1942 he transferred to the Air Corps, receiving his pre-flight training in Santa Ana, Cal.; his primary training at Thunder Bird No 1 in Glendale, Ariz.; his basic training in Marana, Ariz.; his advanced flying at Roswell, N. Mex., where he graduated on June 22, 1943, remaining at this base for his training for B-17 Flying Fortress. In Moses Lake, Wash., his crew was assigned to him and the period of combat training was spent at MacDill Field near Tampa, Fla. At Lakeland, Fla., he and his crew were assigned to their ship which was named "Hershey's Wolves." After four months of further training in Florida, he was sent to the port of embarkation at Savannah, Ga., with his crew and ship whence he left for duty overseas via Brazil and Africa, being stationed in Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Velma Jane Dunker, nee Elliot, of Phoenix, Arizona, to whom he was married on June 24, 1943; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; six sisters, Mrs. Estelle Vorderstrasse, Mrs. Ruth Effenbeck, Mrs. Margaret Elting, Velma, Julia and Julene of the home; two brothers, Capt. Henry A. Dunker, serving in the Armed Forces overseas, and Erwin at home.
Contributed by Jennifer Craig
========================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, September 27, 1944; pg. 1
Killed In Action
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker received a telegram from the War Department stating that their son, First Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was reported missing on July 8, had been killed in action on the same day. Lt. Dunker was stationed with the 15th Army Air Force in Italy and was the pilot of a B-17-G.
==============================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, May 26, 1948; pg. 1
WORLD WAR II CASUALTY LIST
Lt. Freeland Dunker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; born Nov. 5, 1919; inducted November, 1941; killed in action in Yugoslavia, July 8, 1944.
===================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, October 25, 1944; pg. 1
Memorial Services Held For Lt. Dunker
DIED IN ACTION PARACHUTING FROM PLANE OVER YUGOSLAVIA
On Sunday October 22, a memorial service was held in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, for Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was killed in action on his 49th mission over Vienna, Austria, parachuting from his plane over Yugoslavia on July 8, 1944. The choirs of Trinity congregation rendered appropriate selections and Pastor A. H. Mette spoke on Hebrews 4:9.11. Representations of the Deshler Post of the American Legion and the Bruning Air Base were present. The church was filled to capacity.
Freeland John Ludwig Dunker was born on Nov. 5, 1919, in Hebron, Nebr., the son of Herman Dunker and his wife Sophie, nee Grundman. On Nov 16 he was baptized in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, of which he remained a member until his death. In 1934 he was confirmed after having received his elementary education in Trinity Lutheran school. After confirmation he attended Deshler high school, graduating in 1938.
On Nov. 15, 1941, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of our country, serving with the Field Artillery for six months at Camp Polk and Indio, California. In August of 1942 he transferred to the Air Corps, receiving his pre-flight training in Santa Ana, Cal.; his primary training at Thunder Bird No 1 in Glendale, Ariz.; his basic training in Marana, Ariz.; his advanced flying at Roswell, N. Mex., where he graduated on June 22, 1943, remaining at this base for his training for B-17 Flying Fortress. In Moses Lake, Wash., his crew was assigned to him and the period of combat training was spent at MacDill Field near Tampa, Fla. At Lakeland, Fla., he and his crew were assigned to their ship which was named "Hershey's Wolves." After four months of further training in Florida, he was sent to the port of embarkation at Savannah, Ga., with his crew and ship whence he left for duty overseas via Brazil and Africa, being stationed in Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Velma Jane Dunker, nee Elliot, of Phoenix, Arizona, to whom he was married on June 24, 1943; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; six sisters, Mrs. Estelle Vorderstrasse, Mrs. Ruth Effenbeck, Mrs. Margaret Elting, Velma, Julia and Julene of the home; two brothers, Capt. Henry A. Dunker, serving in the Armed Forces overseas, and Erwin at home.
Freeland Dunker was a member of the 463rd Bombardment Group aka the "Swoose Group." He was a bomber pilot in WWII. He died in 1944 when the plane he was in had trouble. He stayed behind to fly the plane while the rest of his crew jumped to safety. He didn't make it. He jumped from the plane and they think he hit his head while jumping. The ironic part of it is that the plane glided into a safe landing.
Contributed by Jennifer Craig
========================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, September 27, 1944; pg. 1
Killed In Action
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker received a telegram from the War Department stating that their son, First Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was reported missing on July 8, had been killed in action on the same day. Lt. Dunker was stationed with the 15th Army Air Force in Italy and was the pilot of a B-17-G.
==============================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, May 26, 1948; pg. 1
WORLD WAR II CASUALTY LIST
Lt. Freeland Dunker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; born Nov. 5, 1919; inducted November, 1941; killed in action in Yugoslavia, July 8, 1944.
===================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, October 25, 1944; pg. 1
Memorial Services Held For Lt. Dunker
DIED IN ACTION PARACHUTING FROM PLANE OVER YUGOSLAVIA
On Sunday October 22, a memorial service was held in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, for Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was killed in action on his 49th mission over Vienna, Austria, parachuting from his plane over Yugoslavia on July 8, 1944. The choirs of Trinity congregation rendered appropriate selections and Pastor A. H. Mette spoke on Hebrews 4:9.11. Representations of the Deshler Post of the American Legion and the Bruning Air Base were present. The church was filled to capacity.
Freeland John Ludwig Dunker was born on Nov. 5, 1919, in Hebron, Nebr., the son of Herman Dunker and his wife Sophie, nee Grundman. On Nov 16 he was baptized in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, of which he remained a member until his death. In 1934 he was confirmed after having received his elementary education in Trinity Lutheran school. After confirmation he attended Deshler high school, graduating in 1938.
On Nov. 15, 1941, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of our country, serving with the Field Artillery for six months at Camp Polk and Indio, California. In August of 1942 he transferred to the Air Corps, receiving his pre-flight training in Santa Ana, Cal.; his primary training at Thunder Bird No 1 in Glendale, Ariz.; his basic training in Marana, Ariz.; his advanced flying at Roswell, N. Mex., where he graduated on June 22, 1943, remaining at this base for his training for B-17 Flying Fortress. In Moses Lake, Wash., his crew was assigned to him and the period of combat training was spent at MacDill Field near Tampa, Fla. At Lakeland, Fla., he and his crew were assigned to their ship which was named "Hershey's Wolves." After four months of further training in Florida, he was sent to the port of embarkation at Savannah, Ga., with his crew and ship whence he left for duty overseas via Brazil and Africa, being stationed in Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Velma Jane Dunker, nee Elliot, of Phoenix, Arizona, to whom he was married on June 24, 1943; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; six sisters, Mrs. Estelle Vorderstrasse, Mrs. Ruth Effenbeck, Mrs. Margaret Elting, Velma, Julia and Julene of the home; two brothers, Capt. Henry A. Dunker, serving in the Armed Forces overseas, and Erwin at home.
Contributed by Jennifer Craig
========================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, September 27, 1944; pg. 1
Killed In Action
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker received a telegram from the War Department stating that their son, First Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was reported missing on July 8, had been killed in action on the same day. Lt. Dunker was stationed with the 15th Army Air Force in Italy and was the pilot of a B-17-G.
==============================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, May 26, 1948; pg. 1
WORLD WAR II CASUALTY LIST
Lt. Freeland Dunker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; born Nov. 5, 1919; inducted November, 1941; killed in action in Yugoslavia, July 8, 1944.
===================
The Deshler Rustler (Deshler, NE), Wednesday, October 25, 1944; pg. 1
Memorial Services Held For Lt. Dunker
DIED IN ACTION PARACHUTING FROM PLANE OVER YUGOSLAVIA
On Sunday October 22, a memorial service was held in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, for Lt. Freeland Dunker, who was killed in action on his 49th mission over Vienna, Austria, parachuting from his plane over Yugoslavia on July 8, 1944. The choirs of Trinity congregation rendered appropriate selections and Pastor A. H. Mette spoke on Hebrews 4:9.11. Representations of the Deshler Post of the American Legion and the Bruning Air Base were present. The church was filled to capacity.
Freeland John Ludwig Dunker was born on Nov. 5, 1919, in Hebron, Nebr., the son of Herman Dunker and his wife Sophie, nee Grundman. On Nov 16 he was baptized in Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, of which he remained a member until his death. In 1934 he was confirmed after having received his elementary education in Trinity Lutheran school. After confirmation he attended Deshler high school, graduating in 1938.
On Nov. 15, 1941, he was drafted into the Armed Forces of our country, serving with the Field Artillery for six months at Camp Polk and Indio, California. In August of 1942 he transferred to the Air Corps, receiving his pre-flight training in Santa Ana, Cal.; his primary training at Thunder Bird No 1 in Glendale, Ariz.; his basic training in Marana, Ariz.; his advanced flying at Roswell, N. Mex., where he graduated on June 22, 1943, remaining at this base for his training for B-17 Flying Fortress. In Moses Lake, Wash., his crew was assigned to him and the period of combat training was spent at MacDill Field near Tampa, Fla. At Lakeland, Fla., he and his crew were assigned to their ship which was named "Hershey's Wolves." After four months of further training in Florida, he was sent to the port of embarkation at Savannah, Ga., with his crew and ship whence he left for duty overseas via Brazil and Africa, being stationed in Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force until his death.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Velma Jane Dunker, nee Elliot, of Phoenix, Arizona, to whom he was married on June 24, 1943; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Dunker; six sisters, Mrs. Estelle Vorderstrasse, Mrs. Ruth Effenbeck, Mrs. Margaret Elting, Velma, Julia and Julene of the home; two brothers, Capt. Henry A. Dunker, serving in the Armed Forces overseas, and Erwin at home.
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