Leo Fenster

Military
Operations Officer DC Brawner of the 344th Bomb Group awards Fenster, a bombardier of the group a Purple Heart in front of a latrine. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated Caption: '497th Sqdn didn't stand on ceremony and this impromtu award ceremony proved it. Sqdn Ops Officer DC Brawner awarding Bombardier Fenster a Purple Heart with latrine as backdrop.' media-395850.jpg FRE 7129 Operations Officer DC Brawner of the 344th Bomb Group awards Fenster, a bombardier of the group a Purple Heart in front of a latrine. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated Caption: '497th Sqdn didn't stand on ceremony and this impromtu award ceremony proved it. Sqdn Ops Officer DC Brawner awarding Bombardier Fenster a Purple Heart with latrine as backdrop.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 7129 - Operations Officer DC Brawner of the 344th Bomb Group awards Fenster, a bombardier of the group a Purple Heart in front of a latrine. Image by Jack K...

Fenster completed 65 missions over German Occupied Europe, surviving five crash landings during his tour of duty. He recalled his fifth crash was particularly bad: 'Of all the missions, I never incurred the volume and the intensity of ground fire we suffered on this one. The Germans literally threw their entire arsenal of ack-ack. The barrage was so unbelievably intense that for a period of 15 minutes before the dropping of the bombs and 15 minutes after, the noise of the continuous explosions engulfing us was overwhelming. Our plane, for a period of 30 minutes, rocked from sid to side and up and down and frankly, I did not believe we would survive.'



After the war Fenster became an Attorney, in 1958 he was installed as President of the Santa Ana B'nai B'rith Lodge, an organisation committed to the security of the Jewish people and combatting anti-semitism, and was an active member of the Democratic party.

Connections

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Units served with

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

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

20 May 1922

Enlisted

Santa Ana, California 15 March 1943

Died

Los Angeles, California 19 January 1999

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

FRE 7129 depicts Fenster being awarded his Purple Heart, Enlistment record, Recollections of fifth crash in Citizen Soldiersby Stephen Ambrose, Appointed president of Santa Monica B'nai B'rith in B'nai B'rith Messenger, 7 February 1958, Notification of Death in 344th Bomb Group Association Newsletter Milk Run, July 2010, Obituary

Leo Fenster: Gallery (1 items)