Pat Barcas/staff photographer
Mark Truemper, nephew of Walter Truemper, unveils the new street named after his uncle, a late WWII Medal of Honor recipient.
By Pat Barcas
Staff writer
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Email Pat Barcas at pat@foxvalleylabornews.com
AURORA — The quiet 300 block of East Avenue in Aurora got some flair of the heroic kind added to it last week.
The corner of East and North avenues was crowned with the honor of Walter E. Truemper Lane in a ceremony May 17, Armed Forces Day.
Truemper is the only World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor who hails from Aurora. He was serving in England with the 510 Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group when he was killed Feb. 20, 1944.
He was flying as navigator on a mission to Leipzig, Germany when his B-17 bomber encountered heavy fire. The attack killed the co-pilot, and knocked the pilot unconscious.
Everyone bailed out of the damaged plane except Truemper and SSGT Archie Mathias, who decided to aid the wounded pilot and try and land the plane in friendly territory. Despite several landing attempts, the plane crashed on the third try in an open field, and all three men were killed.
Truemper and Mathias both received the Medal of Honor posthumously. Seventy years later, Truemper’s legacy lives on at his home street in Aurora.
Mark Truemper, nephew of Walter, relayed a story about Walter’s navigation skills in his brand new B-17 bomber. In 1943, Walter told his sister to sit by the sitting room by the big window in her home because he had a surprise for her as he navigated the bomber to war in England from Nebraska.
“It was his way of saying goodbye. With the plane flying overhead and the sun pouring through the window, the plane would cast a shadow on her lap,” said Mark. “He was successful in doing this twice. This event brought a lot of joy to my grandmother, to have her son so close for the last time before going to war. Little did they know, that was the closest they would ever get again.”
Mark himself served in the Army reserve for eight years in college. One of his unit’s duties was to train recruits before they went to Vietnam.
“I believe everyone who served their country in war is a hero. These trainees knew where they were going, accepted their role, and became a cohesive unit willing to serve their country. This willingness to serve and make sacrifices to preserve our way of life is what makes this country great today,” he said.
The ceremony included an invocation by Pastor Danny Tutwiler of St. Paul Lutheran Church, a poem about Truemper written by World War II veteran Richard Williams, as well as a city proclamation honoring him.
Aurora Alderman at Large Bob O’Connor read the proclamation of honor for Walter, saying the Truemper clan is a “proud and honorable family.”
“Thomas J. Weisner, on behalf of the Aurora city council, asks all citizens of Aurora to recognize and honor 2nd Lieutenant Walter E. Truemper, for his acts of heroism and bravery resulting in the ultimate sacrifice,” said O’Connor.