James H Lorenz
Military
Bernard J. Smolka Crew
Standing Left to Right - Fred M. Coon (N), Bernard J. Smolka (P), James Lorenz (CP), Carl Crawford (TTG), Perrone (TG)
Kneeling Left to Right: Laurie Van Winkle (WG), Robert D. Moushon (R/O), Forrest Crute (FE), Harold Dietz (NG)
The core of the is crew (Lorenz, Coon, Crawford, Van Winkle, Moushon and Crute) were flying with their 5th different pilot, having previously formed the core of the Donald Poutry (1 mission), Clyde Shrum (4 missions), Thomas McKiernan (4 missions) and Robert Yelton (6 missions) before flying their final 20 missions with B.J. Smolka leading them.
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Object Number - UPL 15001 - Crew #574 Bernard J. Smolka Crew Standing Left to Right - Fred M. Coon (N), Bernard J. Smolka (P), James Lorenz (CP), Carl Crawford (TTG),...
35 missions, last five as instructor pilot. Resigned from Reserves as Captain, September 1957.
243 combat flying hours.
AM/ w 4 Oak Leaf Cluster/ EAME w/ 5 Battle Stars/ DUC
Connections
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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: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot/Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot/Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Damifino
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Polaris II
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Belle
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Ghost Too
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Dixie
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 7 April 1945
- Date: 4 April 1945
- Date: 31 March 1945
- Date: 30 March 1945
- Date: 24 March 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Elkhart, Indiana | 3 December 1923 | |
|
Other Graduated USAAF Pilot Training/Commissioned |
Marfa, TX 79843, USA | 12 March 1944 | |
|
Other Assigned to 466th BG |
Attlebridge, Norwich, Norfolk NR9, UK | 14 August 1944 | |
| Elkhart, IN, USA | 811 Oakland Avenue | ||
| Scottsdale, AZ, USA | |||
|
Other 2nd Combat mission |
Ulm, Germany | My 2nd mission, the first with our crew - Poutry as pilot - was to Ulm, Germany. After dropping our bombs we lost #2 engine. We left the formation and headed directly home. At 10,000 feet Poutry refused to change course as given by the navigator, and we flew directly over German held Pas de Calais. Consequently we caught heavy flak and had damage to the aircraft, but we were able to make it home. We held a crew meeting and it was agreed that I would ask that we not have to fly with Poutry again. The request was granted." - James Lorenz Lorenz downplayed to some extent what happened with the pilot on this mission, but whatever it was, was enough to convince the whole crew that they didn't want to fly with him (Poutry). Poutry was reassigned to an unknown job, but he flew no more combat with the 466th BG. Lorenz took one for the team on this one, as while he may have saved the crew from a potential disaster he probably hurt his own chances of being a lead pilot. Instead the crew flew there missions with 5 different pilots with Lorenz serving as co-pilot for each. The respect that the squadron leaders had for him by the end of his tour was evident however has he was chosen to be an instructor pilot and took five different new crews on their first combat missions. |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self & Page 334 in the book SECOND AIR DIVISION by Turner Publishing Company, 1998 edition, D790.A2S45
