WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL - 2ND Lieutenant George Lenz, Jr.

 

Second Lieutenant George Lenz, Jr.

Born on October 6, 1922, in Hicksville, Ohio, George Lenz, Jr. lost his mother, Nettie Blanche Lenz, when he was a small child in 1925. He had siblings who were much older, and it could be that the youngest of those helped raise him. His sister, Zola, was 43 and a teacher in the 1940 census when George was but 17.

His father, George Lenz, Sr., lived on Antwerp Drive and farmed. He was 50 when George was born. When George Jr. graduated from Hicksville High School in 1940, he went to Detroit, Michigan, for a few years into his brother, John's, business. However, in 1943, the draft came calling; he registered in Michigan.

 George entered the Army Air Corp in January of 1943, and he trained in New Jersey, Texas, Arizona, and Missouri.  He trained as a navigator and bombadier on the B-24 Liberator bombers and was assigned to the 720th Bomb Squadron, 450th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force.

He married Sue (Margie) Crockett of Stephens, Arkansas, on May 27, 1943. She was a sergeant in the Women's Army Auxillary Corps. They were, however, married in Kansas City, Missouri. After their marriage and a brief honeymoon, she returned to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where she was stationed, and he went back to his Kansas City camp.

B-24 Liberator

His group was known as The Cottontail Group, as they had some vertical stabilizers on their plane painted white like rabbit ears. These planes were meant for heavy bombing and they worked throughout Germany, Romania, and France, bombing strategically certain aircraft factories, assembly plants, airfields and storage areas.

According to a report from the headquarters of the 450th

Bombardment Group, AAF, the mission that Lt. Lenz entered on December 29, 1944, was a very specific one. By now the group was hitting Italy and its supply chain. The Brenner Pass in Italy was the supply line between Austria and Italy. 

"Twenty-seven B-24 type aircraft took off at 0900-0918 hours to bomb the railroad loop in the Brenner Pass (Italy)... Sixteen aircraft dropped 48 tons of 1000 lb. bombs on the target at 1328 hours from 21,000-22,000 feet." 

Seven bombs dropped short of the target, and the Group Leader rapidly lost altitude after being severely damaged from flak. One aircraft dropped 3 tons of bombs to keep their altitude after losing two engines. One aircraft let a full load of 3 tons of bombs in the Adriatic Sea when their bombs failed to release over the target, and this aircraft has not been heard from. 

"One aircraft turned back before the target at 1248 hours, and this aircraft has not been heard from. Seventeen aircraft returned to base at 1645 hours. Two aircraft lost. Two aircraft missing. Six aircraft at friendly fields.

Photo coverage shows a good concentration on the tracks with 3 - 4 direct hits on the tracks...Flak moderate to intense, accurate and heavy at target.

Losses - 2 B-24 to flak, missing

Damage - 4 B-24 major damage, 2 minor damage

Casualties - one officer killed, one officer wounded, caused by flak"

From a group photo of his crew,
George Lenz Jr.

Second Lieutenant George Lenz, Jr. , the bombardier, with his crew was shot down, setting his plane on fire.  Six of the crew did not survive.

The Crescent-News, June 29, 1945

"Hicksville Bombardier Had Been Missing in Italy Since Dec. 28

Hicksville, June 29 -

Family of 2nd Lt. George Lenz Jr. have been notified by telegram that he is officially listed as dead.

He was a bombardier and had been missing in action in Italy since Dec. 28, 1944.

His wife, who resides in Stephens, Ark., notified relatives here after receiving a telegram from the was department.

Besides the wife, Lt. Lenz leaves a five week old

son, George Lenz III; his father, George Lenz Sr.;

two sisters, Mrs. Lavon Miller and Miss Zola Lenz;

and two brothers, Dale and John Lenz. The latter

lives in Detroit.

George's body was returned to the United States on July 8, 1949, and his wife oversaw his burial in the Little Rock National Cemetery in Arkansas.  Religious and military graveside services were held for George Jr, killed in action in Italy Dec. 28, 1944.

Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas, Section 12

Side Note: Sister Zola, born in 1897, married Harry Metz, and she was a teacher for many, many years. Mrs. Metz retired from Mark Center School in 1967.

Dianne Kline, Researcher

WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL - CMMM Leo J. Hoover

 

Chief Motorman Machinist Mate 

Leo John Hoover

The Hoover family lived at 217 Tacoma Avenue, Defiance with their four boys: Truxton, Leo, Richard and Thomas. Their parents, Paul George and Ethel Ellen (Roehrig) Hoover, raised the boys who experienced moves before settling in Defiance - Washington County, PA in 1920 and Cabel County, WV in 1930.

In 1939, Leo entered the Navy, training in New London,Connecticut and Norfolk, Virginia. He served several enlistments and had experience on different sorts of naval ships.

From the Defiance Crescent, December 18, 1934

"THREE LEAVE TO TRAIN FOR NAVY ENLISTMENT

Three Defiance youths left for Norfolk, Va., Monday to begin 90 day training course before starting a four-year enlistment in the United States Navy.

They are Edward Davison, 8, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Davison, 818 Deatrick Street; James Pessefall, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed. J. Pessefall, 860 Riverside ave.; and Leo Hoover, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hoover, 120 Auglaize avenue."

From the Defiance Crescent , September 11, 1937, page 1 -

"SCOUTS REPORT LEO HOOVER HURT IN CHINA TROUBLE

Rumor that Leo Hoover, 21, Defiance seaman, was injured during the Sino-Japanese trouble, were discredited today by the youth's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hoover, 120 Auglaize avenue, who said that had received no such word.

Young Hoover has been with the U.S. Navy three years. He is stationed on an oil tanker servicing the Asiatic fleet.

His last letter home told or his part in the search for Amelia Earhart, lost globe-girdling aviatrix, and her companion, Capt. Fred Noonan. At that time Hoover was stationed at Honolulu. The letter stated his ship had been ordered to Chinese waters and his parents believe the tanker is probably at or near the fighting zon3.

They said they placed no stock in the report and believe they would have been notified if their son had been hurt."

On October 4, 1941, at 9 in the evening, Leo married Elizabeth Sheila Howard Adamson, a widow with one little boy, while on a leave.  A Justice of the Peace presided in Kitsap County, Washington. At that time, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Biscayne. Not much else is known of the marriage.

At some point, he was assigned to the Submarine Force of the Pacific Fleet, and he found himself in the South Pacific in the spring of 1945.

Beginning on April 1, 1945, which was Easter Sunday that year, the Allies began to focus their interest on the capture of Okinawa. The Naval Pacific Fleet moved in, as did the Army and Marines. The Allies sunk the Japanese battleship, Yamato, and in retribution, the battle became even more intense.

The Japanese had a new kamikaze weapon they called a baka - a glider loaded with explosives and guided by one pilot who went to his death in the attack. They were dropped by bomber planes to target U.S. ships or other targets.

Leo Hoover's submarine was part of this U.S fleet, and it was reported that it was attacked by a torpedo. At impact, the torpedo exploded and, in this case, at least, the sub rose very quickly to the surface before sinking, causing an unbearable amount of pressure inside the sub. Leo's cause of death was hematemesis, vomiting of blood, after his internal organs suffered from the change of pressure and internal bleeding. He died May 6, 1945; V-Day occurred on May 8, 1945, and after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.

CMMM Hoover was first buried in Australia and then sent back to Defiance for reinterment in 1948. 

"VETERAN'S BODY COMES TUESDAY

Legion Will Conduct Rites for Leo J Hoover Wednesday

Body of Leo J. Hoover, 29, chief motorman machinist's mate, who died May 6, 1945 while in submarine service in the Pacific and was buried in Australia, will arrive in Defiance late Tuesday afternoon over the Baltimore and Ohio and will be taken to the Mansfield Funeral Home.

The remains arrived in San Francisco Feb. 12, along with bodies of 2,792 servicemen aboard the U.S. Army transport ship, 'Cardinal O'Connell.

The American Legion will conduct services at the funeral home Wednesday at 3 p.m.  Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery.

He was a son of Mrs. Ethel E. Hoover, 217 Tacoma Avenue; and Paul Hoover. He was born in Defiance Nov. 9, 1915. He had served almost ten years in the Navy at the time of his death.

Beside his parents, he leaves his wife, Elizabeth, Riddle, Oregon; and three brothers: Truxton Hoover, rt. 4, and Richard and Thomas Hoover, Defiance high school students."

(March 1948)

The "Cardinal O'Connell"

"FUNERALS

LEO J. HOOVER

"Services for Leo J. Hoover, motorman mechanic's mate, who died while serving in the Pacific war theater on a submarine, were held Wednesdays at 3 p.m. in the Mansfield funeral home here, followed by burial in Riverside cemetery.

Rev. C. Elmer Miller, United Brethren minister, had part of the service, and the American Legionnaires conducted military rites.

Pallbearers were Norman, Gene, and John Roehrig, Roger Morehead, and John and Donald Beatty. Robert Niswander sang with Ray V. Hull, accompanist.

Participating in the Legion service were: Commander Lawrence Dunbar; Chaplain Ralph Snodgrass; firing squad - Howard Aldrich, C.F. Duerk, Rolland T. Porter, Norman J. Schweitzer, Elmer Vaugh, Joe Tanner, George Steingass, and John Hammon, Jr.; and bugler, Robert Newman."

( Defiance Crescent News, March 11, 1949)

Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio

Dianne Kline, Researcher