Irvin E. Hughes

Irvin E. Hughes, 85, Palmyra, died June 8, 2009, in the VA Medical Center Hospice, Lebanon.

He was the husband of Arlene J. (Thompson) Hughes.

He was born Jan. 11, 1924, in Union Deposit to the late Irvin P. and 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; a youth fellowship counselor; and 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 and great-grandfather, and his family was always the most important part of his life.

He was a veteran of the 8th Army Air Force during World War II (1943-1945). He was honorably discharged as a tech sergeant. He was a tail and 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 three-month march of POWs 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 one 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 two 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 government.

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, are his daughter, Sandra H., wife of Daniel McKinley, Palmyra; his grandchildren, Jason D. McKinley, Connecticut, and Kelly D. McKinley, Lititz; and his two great-grandchildren, Connor Hughes McKinley and Jackson Taylor McKinley.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Eva Nelson.

Relatives and friends are invited for a time of viewing Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church, 520 E. Birch St., Palmyra, followed by his funeral at 2 p.m. Burial will follow with full military honors in the Gravel Hill Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Lebanon VFW Post 23.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to his church or to the VA Medical Center Hospice 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon, PA 17042. Rothermel Funeral Home Inc., Palmyra, is entrusted with funeral arrangements.