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