James H Lentz

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

15-Jul-42 Assigned as Tail Gunner on B-17F #42-2967 [PU G] "Shak Hak", 303BG/a60BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Shak Hak".



Shot down 16-February-1943 in B-17F #42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS while serving as Tail Gunner. The aircraft was attacked by fighters and crashed into the English Channel on return from a mission to St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA)



Participated in 7 Operations (NO Aborts) See Biography events.

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'

41-24579

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

41-24602

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

42-2967

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shak Hak
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 15 July 1942 Assigned as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Tail Gunner aboard B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #1, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 23 November 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 41-24579, 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomoative Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, SSGT James H. Lentz, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS - KIA

Saint-Nazaire, France 16 February 1943 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The aircraft was shot down by fighters and crashed into the sea. He was Killed in Action (KIA).

Born

Kansas, USA

Other

Commemorated

Saint-James, France Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Brittany American Cemetery.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

English Channel 16 February 1943 Killed when aircraft was shot down by enemy fighters and crashed into the English Channel. His remains have never been recovered.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report to 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place, All AIrcraft and all Mission per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, William H. Breed crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-breed.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015 . Added SN, corrected crew position, added KIA event per MACR 15116; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added crew position and minor edits to Biography based on 303rd Bomb Group website, historian Gary Moncur.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15116, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Heys pp. 77-78 / MACR 4697 & 3302 A / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database