Jack Preston Rencher
MilitaryB-17G #43-37838 Fearless Fosdick (358BS) VK-A
(crew assigned 358BS: 07 Aug 1944 - photo: 10 Aug 1944)
(Back L-R) 1Lt William D. Sachau (B), 1Lt Jack P. Rencher (CP),
2Lt Rex H. Markt (N), Capt Werner G. Goering (P)
(Front L-R) S/Sgt Paul A. Bishop (WG), T/Sgt Chester "Chad" Brodzinski (R)(*),
T/Sgt William J. LaPerch, (R), T/Sgt Orall R. "Gus" Gustafson (E)(*),
S/Sgt Clarence W. Houseman (BT)(*), S/Sgt Weldon T. "Tex" Mahan (TG)(*)
(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission)
Jack P. Rencher started flying in Phoenix Arizona in 1937. He was operating a D8 bulldozer, graveyard shift, in an open pit copper mine when Pearl Harbor happened. He had to pass a test to enlist in the Army Cadet Program as he got kicked out of high school his 2nd year. He went through Santa Ana California, Tulare, CA, (PT-17s, for Primary), Bakersfield, CA, (BT-13s for Basic) and graduated from Williams AFB for Advanced, P-38s.
His first assignment was to Yuma Arizona gunnery school where they put him in B-17s to fly gunnery students 8 hours per day, 6 days per week. There he built up a lot of B-17 time fast and learned to love them. On Sundays he usually slow timed new engines, test flew repaired airplanes, studied and slept. He did go to Yuma City once maybe.
He was next sent to Salt Lake City where he was asked to and did volunteer to be assigned co-pilot and was assigned on a B-17 crew. After crew training the crew was sent to England on the Aquatainia, a large English ship. They were lucky and assigned to the 358th Squadron in the 303rd Bomb Group. After completing 35 largely uneventful missions, the last one, number 35, was Christmas Eve December 24, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, he then returned to the states and was assigned to the 5th Ferry Group in the Air Transport Command in Dallas Texas. There for the next 2 or 3 years he delivered airplanes from PT-17s to B-29s all over the world.
He then became a civilian, acquired an A & E. Mechanics license and over the next half century wore out a Cessna 140, a 170, 4 Bonanzas and 2 Barons. He received an award from the Idaho Dept. of Aeronautics for flying over one half century over 22,000 hours with out an accident or a violation. He confesses to probably having a violation or two but just never got caught. He married a beautiful lady, Louise, before he left the Service and they raised three fine sons.
Jack passed away August 20, 2010 in Boise, Idaho.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19073786 / O-761810
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fearless Fosdick
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
25 March 1921 | Son of Guy Benjamin and Irene Ramona [Eigholz] Rencher. | |
Enlisted |
Phoenix, Arizona, USA | 16 May 1942 | |
Died |
Boise, Ada County, Idaho, USA | 20 August 2010 | |
Buried |
Boise, Ada County, Idaho, USA | 25 August 2010 | Dry Creek Cemetery |
Based |
Assigned to 358BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Updated event locations per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 57748698.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57748698/jack-preston-rencher
Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.
Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
GENERAL ORDER # 633, 17 December 1944, from Headquarters 1 Bomb Division by Brigadier General Turner.
GENERAL ORDER # 555, dated 23 November 1944: From Headquarters 1st Bombardment Division, Office of the Commanding Brigadier General Turner.
https://www.fold3.com/image/539516095
https://www.fold3.com/record/84998330-jack-p-rencher
https://www.fold3.com/image/205596408?rec=205596612
https://www.fold3.com/record/619492503-jack-rencher-1921
https://www.fold3.com/record/283039671-jack-preston-rencher
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57748698/jack-preston-rencher
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000