The story
US fighter ace Lieutenant Charles F. Gumm, with seven confirmed victories to his credit, was tragically killed when the engine of his P-51B Mustang fighter failed during take-off from RAF Boxted in Essex, England, United Kingdom. Rather than bailing out (which would inevitably lead to his crippled aircraft crashing into the little village of Nayland) he gallantly stayed in the cockpit long enough to glide it towards open ground. By that time he was too low to parachute, and his body was found by local villagers near the burning wreckage.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.