Three More Warriors Passing to Valhalla….

Leonard D. Fisher enlisted in the US Army in 1942, and was assigned to the 9^th Army Air Force in December 1942, as part of the 453^rd Air Service Group, which was stationed at the RAF Old Buckenham Airfield. Some rare photos of that base can be seen here: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/rare-photos-wwii-old-buckenham-airfield-discovered.html

He assisted in preparing gliders for Operation Overlord, which took place in Normandy, and Operation Market Garden, which occurred in the Netherlands. He also played in the dance bands that formed at the airfield, entertaining US airmen and their guests. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant by the end of the war and returned home to start a new career.

Old Buckenham is still an active airfield with a flying club, and now has a WWII museum on the property.

George Rennwanz joined the US Navy shortly after graduating from high school in 1943. He served on a troop transport ship, USS General John Pope AP-110. I don’t have any information on Mr. Rennwanz’s rate, but since the ship was in dangerous waters at any time during the war, I don’t think it matters.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22110.htm

This ship, along with many others, delivered troops to the Europe-Africa-Middle East and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters during WWII, as well as being assigned to Occupation Service following WWII. A little about the ship before she was sent to Corpus Christi for scrapping is here. http://maritimematters.com/2010/05/passage-on-the-u-s-n-s-general-john-pope/

Carlton Buerger joined the US Marine Corps in 1942. He was trained as a fighter pilot and sent to the Pacific theater. He was assigned to Fighter Squadron VMF-441, also known as the ‘Blackjacks’, participating in operations against the Japanese on Okinawa Shima, Nansei Soto, completing 40 missions in that combat theater.  He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses for those missions. http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=200511

Some information on VMF-441 is here: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4F50B_usmc-406-vmf-441

and  http://acepilots.com/usmc_sqns.html#VMF-441

Okinawa was the last and fiercest battle of World War II.  The US military wanted it because it was a little over 250 miles from the main islands of Japan.  The Marines have a good history on the battle here.

https://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/2012/11/okinawa-final-great-battle-world-war-ii

Fair winds, til the morning meets you.

Category: Blue Skies, Historical