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| Carl Lenz on Tinian, July, 1945 |
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| Recent Address: |
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14 Center, Box 1311, Chautauqua, NY 14722 |
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| Email: |
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| Family Information: |
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Parents: Carl and Mabel; Wife: Ann; Children: Linda, Lisa, Lucie |
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| Hometown: |
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Pittsburgh, PA |
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| Date Entered Service: |
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May 5 1944 |
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| Service Number: |
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13187652 |
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| Bomb Group: |
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444th |
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| Squadron: |
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678th |
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| Location of Unit: |
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West Field, Tinian - June 1 1945 |
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| Missions Flown: |
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13 |
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| Hump Missions Flown: |
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| Targets: |
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Kure, Takamatsu, Chiba, Sendai, Utsonomiya, Namazu, Fukui, Osaka, Tsu, Hachiogi, Yawata, Nagoya, Tokyo area |
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| Awards/Decorations: |
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Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Battle Stars, American Theater Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Aerial Gunner Wings |
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| Service Schools Attended: |
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Gunnery School-Buckingham, FL Aug-Dec 1944; Gunnery Instructor-Laredo, TX Dec 1944-Jan 1945; |
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| Military Specialty(ies): |
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MOS 611-Aerial Gunner, MOS 2554-Aerial Gunnery Instructor |
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| Rank Upon Discharge: |
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Sergeant |
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| Crew Type: |
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Flight crew |
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| Airplane Serial No.& Name: |
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42-24899 Agitator II, 42-6215 Deacon's Disciples, Island Princess, Journey For Margaret |
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| Were you a POW? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Were you interned? |
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No |
| If so, where? |
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| Date Transferred from the 58th: |
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October 31 1945 |
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| Date Discharged from the 58th: |
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June 6 1946 |
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| Post-WWII Military Service: |
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Castle Field, Merced, CA, 1/1946 to 4/30/46; Davis Monthan Field, Tucson, AZ, 43rd Bomb Grp., Apr-Jun 1946 |
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| Post-WWII Civilian Occupation(s): |
| Presbyterian Minister, 1953 to present (retired) |
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| Thoughts on the 58th Bomb Wing: |
| About two years following the end of WWII I began to realize that I had taken part in one of the great events in world history. Toward the end of the 20th century the war proved to be the greatest event of the century. Though victory over the Axis powers was ours, it remained that the toll of victory was horrendous to the participating nations, not only to the enemy, but ours as well. I shall never forget the sight of burning cities as we passed over them with our bombs falling on the conflagrations. At the time I wondered how the fires would ever be extinguished. I also gave some thought that there were innocent victims. It was another year or so later when I read the statistics relating to Japanese civilian casualties resulting from fire bombing alone. The numbers were appalling, raising many questions in my mind about the madness of warfare that was once limited to armies, but in WWII and later extended to civilian populations. I am proud to have served my country with the 58th Bomb Wing, but that service left me with questions that still beg for answers. |
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| Comments: |
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| Carl Lenz - 2002 |
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