9 Jun 2009: Irvin E. Hughes, age 85 of Palmyra died Monday, June 8, 2009 in the VA Medical Center Hospice, Lebanon. He was the husband of Arlene J. (Thompson) Hughes. He was born on January 11, 1924 in Union Deposit to Irvin P. & Lottie Neidig Hughes. He retired in 1986 after 33 years from Management of the Seltzer's Bologna Company. He was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School, a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church, Palmyra, an active member of the Church's Married Couples Class and a Youth Fellowship counselor; a member of the Palmyra Optimist Club. His hobbies were golfing, fishing, traveling and being with friends. He was an extremely loving husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather and his family was always the most important part of his life. He was a veteran of the 8th Army Air Corps during WWII (1943-1945) where he was honorably discharged as a T-Sgt. He was a tail & waist gunner on the B-17 "Strictly From Hunger" during the war. His airplane was shot down on his 13th mission over Germany on July 21, 1944. He became a POW and survived a forced 3 months March of POW's through Germany that killed 1,500 men. He was liberated by the British on May 2, 1945. He was awarded the following medals: Air medal with 1 Oak Leaf cluster, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War, the Victory-WWII, the Good Conduct, the American Service, the European, African, Middle Eastern Service with 2 campaign Stars, one from Air Offensive Europe the other from Normandy and the French Jubilee of Liberty Medal which he received on July 15, 1997 from the French Gov't. A few years ago a German man, Rolf Ebnet located the crash site of the B-17 airplane and researched what happened to all the crew members after they were shot down. He wrote a book entitled "Absprung ins Ungewisse" ("Jump into the Unknown") which can be read at the Palmyra Public Library and the Lebanon County Historical Society. Irvin's accounting of that time is documented in this book. Surviving him in addition to his loving wife Arlene is his daughter Sandra H. wife of Daniel McKinley of Palmyra; his grandchildren Jason D. McKinley of Connecticut and Kelly D. McKinley of Lititz; his 2 great grandchildren Connor Hughes McKinley & Jackson Taylor McKinley. He was preceded in death by his sister Eva Nelson. Relatives & friends are invited for a time of viewing on Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 1:00-2:00 at the First United Methodist Church, 520 E. Birch St., Palmyra followed by his funeral at 2:00. Burial will follow with full military honors in the Gravel Hill Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Lebanon V.F.W. Post #23. [Harrisburg Patriot-News]
9 Jun 2009: Irvin E. Hughes, age 85 of Palmyra died Monday, June 8, 2009 in the VA Medical Center Hospice, Lebanon. He was the husband of Arlene J. (Thompson) Hughes. He was born on January 11, 1924 in Union Deposit to Irvin P. & Lottie Neidig Hughes. He retired in 1986 after 33 years from Management of the Seltzer's Bologna Company. He was a 1942 graduate of Palmyra High School, a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church, Palmyra, an active member of the Church's Married Couples Class and a Youth Fellowship counselor; a member of the Palmyra Optimist Club. His hobbies were golfing, fishing, traveling and being with friends. He was an extremely loving husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather and his family was always the most important part of his life. He was a veteran of the 8th Army Air Corps during WWII (1943-1945) where he was honorably discharged as a T-Sgt. He was a tail & waist gunner on the B-17 "Strictly From Hunger" during the war. His airplane was shot down on his 13th mission over Germany on July 21, 1944. He became a POW and survived a forced 3 months March of POW's through Germany that killed 1,500 men. He was liberated by the British on May 2, 1945. He was awarded the following medals: Air medal with 1 Oak Leaf cluster, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War, the Victory-WWII, the Good Conduct, the American Service, the European, African, Middle Eastern Service with 2 campaign Stars, one from Air Offensive Europe the other from Normandy and the French Jubilee of Liberty Medal which he received on July 15, 1997 from the French Gov't. A few years ago a German man, Rolf Ebnet located the crash site of the B-17 airplane and researched what happened to all the crew members after they were shot down. He wrote a book entitled "Absprung ins Ungewisse" ("Jump into the Unknown") which can be read at the Palmyra Public Library and the Lebanon County Historical Society. Irvin's accounting of that time is documented in this book. Surviving him in addition to his loving wife Arlene is his daughter Sandra H. wife of Daniel McKinley of Palmyra; his grandchildren Jason D. McKinley of Connecticut and Kelly D. McKinley of Lititz; his 2 great grandchildren Connor Hughes McKinley & Jackson Taylor McKinley. He was preceded in death by his sister Eva Nelson. Relatives & friends are invited for a time of viewing on Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 1:00-2:00 at the First United Methodist Church, 520 E. Birch St., Palmyra followed by his funeral at 2:00. Burial will follow with full military honors in the Gravel Hill Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Lebanon V.F.W. Post #23. [Harrisburg Patriot-News]
