In Memory of
U.S. Army Air Corps First Lieutenant
Owen L. Kunze
Alpena, South Dakota
Beadle County
October 26, 1919 – January 10, 1943
Killed in Action in the North African Area
Owen L. Kunze was born October 26, 1919, near Alpena, South Dakota, to George and Maude Kunze. He had a brother and a sister. Owen was raised and educated in the Alpena community, where he graduated from high school in 1936. During his school years, he was said to be a talented athlete and a trumpet player in the school band. After graduation, Owen attended Rapid City School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City.
On July 18, 1941, Owen Kunze entered active service at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He was trained in the Air Corps at Lake Field, Arizona, before receiving his wings and commission as a second lieutenant. After further training in various camps, Lt. Kunze flew his B-24, nicknamed “Big Dealer,” overseas on September 1, 1942. He was part of many air raids over Germany and France and was stationed on different bases but was lastly based in North Africa. An Associated Press told of Kunze’s exploits: “…One of these Liberators piloted by Lieut. Owen Kunze of South Dakota was set upon by three Messerschmidts, beat off the first with smoke pouring from it and sent the second plunging toward the sea with both engines smoking…” In his last letter to his parents, Owen wrote: “Have been in Cairo and am going to go to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth before long…I am now flight leader in my squadron and my captain rating is on its way. It has a hard time catching up with a person over here.”
On January 10, 1943, Lt. Owen Kunze was killed in action in the North African area along with three other crewmembers as they were returning from an air raid. Although originally buried overseas, Lt. Kunze’s remains were returned to the United States after the war and buried at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Wolsey High School, Wolsey, South Dakota. Among the sources for this profile were an application for a SD veteran’s bonus payment and newspaper clippings.
