James Henry LENTZ

Parents : Eugene H. & Nell Merrell Lentz

Siblings : Eugenia L, George E & Gordon Clarke

Source : F Lavernhe

Map of St James American Cemetery

James Henry Lentz was born in Missouri in 1915. No NARA enlistment record could be found for him, nor any narrative account of his early childhood. Judging by his rank and date of first assignment, it is likely he enlisted in early 1942.

He received training as an aerial gunner, promoted to Sergeant, and assigned July 15, 1942 to Captain William H. Breed's crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. This unit trained at Gowen Field, Idaho, then moved to Biggs Field, Texas for subsequent deployment to England in October, 1942.

Sergeant Lentz flew 7 missions, all but 1 with the Breed crew. On February 16, 1943, this crew, along with others, was dispatched to bomb German naval facilities at Brest and St. Nazaire, France. Flak was moderate along the in-bound route, but the bombers were attacked by 20-50 German fighters.

Breed's aircraft was severely damaged in these attacks, so he fell out of formation and attempted to return to England. He found it necessary to ditch in the English Channel, north of the Brest Peninsula. All crew members were lost.

German records show that both Feldweber Schroder and Leutnant Kirk claimed credit for the downing of this aircraft. Both claims were not confirmed.

Lentz, along with all the other crew members are memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery at St-James, France. In addition, there is a memorial marker for him in the Hardin Cemetery in Hardin, Missouri.

Source : Loren Bender

William H. BREED CREW - 360th BS   B-17F Shak Hak #42-2967 (PU-G)

(original crew assigned 360BS: 15 July 1942 - photo: 14 Oct 1942)
(Flew from USA to England in Oct 1942 in Shak Hak)

(Back L-R) Capt William H. Breed (P), 2Lt Harry T. Sample, Jr (CP), 1Lt Homer R. Allen (N), 2Lt Homer N. Santerre (B) (Front - not in order)

T/Sgt Stanley Putala (E), T/Sgt Joseph M. Herbert (R), S/Sgt Samuel D. Easter (AE/RWG), S/Sgt James H. Lentz (TG), S/Sgt Mathias A. Kuffel (BTG)

(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission)