Edmund
was awarded the ETO Medal and Bronze Star to the
ETO Medal, the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf
clusters and Purple Heart for his participation
in nine bombing missions over Germany and was
credited for shooting down two German fighters.
\
(Picture courtesy
of Mr. Ed Mehlig)
Edmund
participated in the following missions:
11 December 1943 - Emden -
Port area
13 December 1943 - Bremen -
Port Area
16 December 1943 - Bremen -
Port Area
20 December 1943 - Bremen -
PW 190 Aircraft Plant
24 December 1943 -
Cueschart - Beauvoir - V1 sites
30 December 1943 -
Wilhelmshaven - Chemical Works
7 January 1944 -
Wilhelmshaven - Chemical Works
21 January 1944 - Le Mesnil
Allard - Puchervin - V1 sites
30 January 1944 -
Braunschweig - Aircraft factory
Edmund's crew consisted of:
1Lt Donald E. Winter, pilot
2Lt Joseph W. Wiley, co-pilot
2Lt George H. Anderson, Navigator
2Lt Edmund J. Torpey, Bombardier
S/Sgt Richard C. Kausch, Radio operator
Sgt John R. Fitzgearl, Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt George A. Gardner, Ball Turret Gunner
Sgt Alfred R. Falls, Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt James C. Underwood, Left Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Floyd E. Hart, Tail Gunner
Lt
Winter's crew: Back row (L to R): George A.
Gardner (Ball Turret Gunner), James C. Underwood
(Waist Gunner), Hubert L. Crook (Waist Gunner -
Did not fly with this crew on the 30 January
mission. He flew with another crew but was also
shot down and killed), Richard C. Kausch (Radio
Operator), Paul Melcom (Flight Engineer/ Top
Turret - Paul did not fly on this mission due to
illness. He went on to complete his tour with
another crew and returned to the US), Floyd E.
Hart (asst Engineer).
Kneeling (L to R); Donald E. WInter (Pilot),
Kenny Thomas (Co-pilot), George Anderson
(Navigator), Edmund Torpey (Bombardier). Picture
Courtesy of Gene.
On January 30, 1944, the crew participated in a
mission to bomb an aircraft factory in
Braunschweig, Germany.
On the way back to England,
the bombers were attacked by German fighters who
were sent up to intercept them. One source
states that Unteroffizier Franz Schilling, of
7./JG26, attacked a straggling bomber which he
shot down. It was his first shoot down. The
plane crashed north of Bergen aan Zee.
This was Lt. Winter's B17.
It crashed near the town of Schoorl, on the
Dutch coast, near the Pirolavlakte. The whole
crew was killed in the crash.
Edmund was married and he
and his wife Mary was were expecting a child.
Edmund's daughter Teresa Frances was born on 26
June 1944.
Edmund is buried at the Holy Rood Cemetery,
Woodbury, LI. New York,
Section 2 Row V Grave 11.
