Chuck Hodge Collection on Walter H. Scheurs, Jr.
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10735.1/2839
Walter Henry "Dutch" Scheurs, Jr. was born April 20, 1922 in Cedar Rapids, IA to Walter Henry Scheurs and Lucille Vernus Scheurs (née Kasner). He was the second of six children and the oldest son.
Walter Scheurs, Jr. graduated from Valley Springs High School in Valley Springs, AR in June 1941 as Vice-President of a class of fourteen. On August 13, 1941 Walter Scheurs, Jr. went away to Los Angeles, CA to attend the W.O. Anderson Airplane School. By September 1941 he had secured for himself a position with Consolidated Aircraft at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, CA as a Fuselage-Riveter Helper. On May 15, 1942 Walter Scheurs, Jr. quit his job with Consolidated and from June to December, 1942, he held various jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA. On December 21, 1942, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and by December 26, 1942, he had reported for in processing at Camp Dodge in Des Moines, IA.
From December 26, 1942 to April 1944, Walter Scheurs, Jr. traveled the U.S. going from one aviation or technical school to another. From April to October 24, 1944, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was deployed to Foggia, Italy with the 825th Bomb Squadron, 484th Bomb Group, 49th Bomb Wing of the 15th Air Force. He served as a top turret gunner and mechanic on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator nicknamed, Archangel for a total of thirty-seven actual missions. On Jul 11, 1944, during his twenty-first mission, a bomb run against the German Submarine Pens at Toulon, France, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was wounded. For this, on July 23 and 28, 1944 he was respectively awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal with Oak Leave Cluster. The Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded on November 12, 1944. By the time Walter Scheurs, Jr. returned to the U.S. on December 1, 1944 he also had received seven bronze stars for campaigns against Rome-Arno, southern France, the Balkans, the Rhineland, northern France, the northern Apennines of Italy and the air war in Europe. Walter Scheurs, Jr. was honorably discharged from the USAAF on September 24, 1945 as a Technical Sergeant at the Jefferson Barracks, MO. His last duty station was at Chanute Field in Rantoul, IL.
After the war, Walter Scheurs, Jr. eventually found employment with the Iowa Manufacturing Company from March to June 1946 before buying the Sinclair Oil Company Service Station on 3rd Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, IA. He operated this station from June 1946 to October 1947 and then decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force (USAF). From at least February 6 to December 26, 1947, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves on inactive duty in Naval Reserve Division 9-53.
The USAF career of Walter Scheurs, Jr. started on December 27, 1947, at Lowry Field in Denver, CO. On February 1, 1949, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was promoted to Staff Sergeant. Temporary promotions to Technical Sergeant and Master Sergeant followed on March 8 and November 5, 1951 respectively. At Davis-Monthan AFB, Walter Scheurs, Jr. served as the right gunner and mechanic on a Boeing B-50 Superfortress until December 4, 1953 when he changed vocations to become a Personal Equipment Supervisor. On April 1, 1955 he was awarded the permanent rank of Technical Sergeant.
Walter Scheurs, Jr. served at Davis-Monthan AFB until April 19, 1956 when he was sent to Germany and assigned to Kaufbeuren Air Base and Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base with the 7330th Flight Training Wing. On February 13, 1958 he was transferred to Bentwater, Suffolk, UK and was stationed there with the 81st FTR Bomb Wing Support Squadron until April 30, 1959.
On May 1, 1959 Walter Scheurs, Jr. was stationed at Dyess AFB, TX with 819th Combat Support Group, 341st Bomb Wing. March AFB was to be the last duty station for Walter Scheurs, Jr. during his USAF career. He retired and received an honorable discharge on July, 31, 1967. Ironically, Walter Scheurs, Sr. was discharged from the U. S. Army Air Service Flying School on December 17, 1918 at the very same duty station. Walter Scheurs, Jr. remained on the roles of the USAF Reserves until Mar 27, 1975.
Following his service to the USAF, Walter Scheurs, Jr. continued to reside in Riverside, CA with his wife, Paula Theresa Scheurs (née Trimarco) whom he had married on February 11, 1950 at All Saints Church in Tucson, AZ. In retirement he supported the March Field Museum Foundation. Walter Scheurs, Jr. passed away in Riverside, CA on March 3, 2001 and was buried at Riverside National Cemetery.
Walter Scheurs, Jr. graduated from Valley Springs High School in Valley Springs, AR in June 1941 as Vice-President of a class of fourteen. On August 13, 1941 Walter Scheurs, Jr. went away to Los Angeles, CA to attend the W.O. Anderson Airplane School. By September 1941 he had secured for himself a position with Consolidated Aircraft at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, CA as a Fuselage-Riveter Helper. On May 15, 1942 Walter Scheurs, Jr. quit his job with Consolidated and from June to December, 1942, he held various jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA. On December 21, 1942, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and by December 26, 1942, he had reported for in processing at Camp Dodge in Des Moines, IA.
From December 26, 1942 to April 1944, Walter Scheurs, Jr. traveled the U.S. going from one aviation or technical school to another. From April to October 24, 1944, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was deployed to Foggia, Italy with the 825th Bomb Squadron, 484th Bomb Group, 49th Bomb Wing of the 15th Air Force. He served as a top turret gunner and mechanic on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator nicknamed, Archangel for a total of thirty-seven actual missions. On Jul 11, 1944, during his twenty-first mission, a bomb run against the German Submarine Pens at Toulon, France, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was wounded. For this, on July 23 and 28, 1944 he was respectively awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal with Oak Leave Cluster. The Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded on November 12, 1944. By the time Walter Scheurs, Jr. returned to the U.S. on December 1, 1944 he also had received seven bronze stars for campaigns against Rome-Arno, southern France, the Balkans, the Rhineland, northern France, the northern Apennines of Italy and the air war in Europe. Walter Scheurs, Jr. was honorably discharged from the USAAF on September 24, 1945 as a Technical Sergeant at the Jefferson Barracks, MO. His last duty station was at Chanute Field in Rantoul, IL.
After the war, Walter Scheurs, Jr. eventually found employment with the Iowa Manufacturing Company from March to June 1946 before buying the Sinclair Oil Company Service Station on 3rd Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, IA. He operated this station from June 1946 to October 1947 and then decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force (USAF). From at least February 6 to December 26, 1947, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves on inactive duty in Naval Reserve Division 9-53.
The USAF career of Walter Scheurs, Jr. started on December 27, 1947, at Lowry Field in Denver, CO. On February 1, 1949, Walter Scheurs, Jr. was promoted to Staff Sergeant. Temporary promotions to Technical Sergeant and Master Sergeant followed on March 8 and November 5, 1951 respectively. At Davis-Monthan AFB, Walter Scheurs, Jr. served as the right gunner and mechanic on a Boeing B-50 Superfortress until December 4, 1953 when he changed vocations to become a Personal Equipment Supervisor. On April 1, 1955 he was awarded the permanent rank of Technical Sergeant.
Walter Scheurs, Jr. served at Davis-Monthan AFB until April 19, 1956 when he was sent to Germany and assigned to Kaufbeuren Air Base and Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base with the 7330th Flight Training Wing. On February 13, 1958 he was transferred to Bentwater, Suffolk, UK and was stationed there with the 81st FTR Bomb Wing Support Squadron until April 30, 1959.
On May 1, 1959 Walter Scheurs, Jr. was stationed at Dyess AFB, TX with 819th Combat Support Group, 341st Bomb Wing. March AFB was to be the last duty station for Walter Scheurs, Jr. during his USAF career. He retired and received an honorable discharge on July, 31, 1967. Ironically, Walter Scheurs, Sr. was discharged from the U. S. Army Air Service Flying School on December 17, 1918 at the very same duty station. Walter Scheurs, Jr. remained on the roles of the USAF Reserves until Mar 27, 1975.
Following his service to the USAF, Walter Scheurs, Jr. continued to reside in Riverside, CA with his wife, Paula Theresa Scheurs (née Trimarco) whom he had married on February 11, 1950 at All Saints Church in Tucson, AZ. In retirement he supported the March Field Museum Foundation. Walter Scheurs, Jr. passed away in Riverside, CA on March 3, 2001 and was buried at Riverside National Cemetery.