The OuTer CirCle The OuTer CirCle

Savannah Attendees
Higgins, Howard & Gwen Grp Hdqs
Lemmens, Andy & Shirley 368
Levitt, Leon
368th
Levitt, Charlie
368th
th
Bouchard, Gary & Gail
369th
and family
Burtner, Rene & Helen
369th
Burtner, Jennifer
369th
Burtner, Michael
369th
Hess, Leroy and daugh. Barb369th
Jennings, Curtis 369th
Jennings, Randy 369th
Jennings, Warner
369th
Lindsey, Doug & Sara Ann 369th
plus guest Pat Wilsky
Mettel, Tom
369th
Montague, Bert & Inez
Montague, Glenn
Powell, Dr. David Powell, Michael Powell, Rex Ralston, Gil & Beverly 369th
369th
369th
369th
369th
369th
Doersch, Dortha 370th
Johnson, Sara 370th
plus guest Joan Byrne
Paddock, Dave & Gigi 370th
kids: Paul and Rose
guest Chaplain Paul Lasley
Windmiller, Don & Belle 370th
plus son Donald
Association friends:
Ritchie, Dr. Wm & Babe
Bishop, Pat & Brenda
The
he Outer
uter Circle
ircle
359th Fighter Group Association
World War II
Station F133 - East Wretham, England
Web site: www.359fg.org
Volume 19, No. 3
Cum Leone
Aug 2008
See you in
Dayton!
Home from the Hill
After 63 years, pilot’s remains
are coming home
359th Fighter Group Association
The
Outer Circle
Gigi Doersch Paddock
7567 Vincent Drive
Toano, Virginia 23168
Address Service Requested
Next issue:
Nov. ‘08
First Class
Howard Clifton Enoch, Jr., was a pilot in the 368th
whose plane went down near Leipzig March 19, 1945. “Cliff”
was considered MIA. In April 2008 his son was contacted
with the news that the father he never knew was coming home. His P-51D fighter plane under attack by the Luftwaffe,
20-year-old Howard Clifton Enoch, Jr., flying a mission
over Halle, Germany, ultimately plunged to the ground in
Germany, never to be heard from again. That was March 19,
1945, and the crash site would then become part of East Germany, behind the Iron Curtain, making it all but impossible
for the U.S. government to recover remains of fallen soldiers.
But reunification of Germany more than a decade ago
helped the United States strike an agreement with the government to let the U.S. military search the former East Germany
area for remains. That enabled the military to locate and
ultimately identify Enoch’s remains and wreckage.
Now, Enoch’s son is planning the burial of a father he
never knew. In a face-to-face meeting in April, two U.S. Department of Defense officials told him of the positive identifiContinued, pg 3
The article’s title references the poem “Requiem”
by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Letter from our Prez, pg. 2
Mission Report, pg. 4-5
Historian Report, pg. 6
359th Fighter Group
Officers
President
Andrew Lemmens
(239) 768.9899
9696 Casa Linda Ct.
Ft. Myers, FL 33919-8420
[email protected]
Vice President
and Judge Advocate
Vernon Judkins
(520) 825.1778
64713 E. Drifter Drive
Tucson, AZ 85739
Business Secretary
Bert Montague
(910) 673.1679
584 Seven Lakes N.
West End, NC 27376-9769
[email protected]
Treasurer
Charles Levitt
(817) 498.9252
5796 Rockport Lane
Ft. Worth, TX 76137
[email protected]
Assistant Treasurer
Don Windmiller
(812) 626.0717
634 Conti Drive
Evansville, IN 47711-1062
[email protected]
Roster Custodian
Dorothy Turcotte
(413) 532.3161
32 Lindbergh Avenue
Holyoke, MA 01040
[email protected]
Group Historian
Char Baldridge
(434) 946.0901
715 Sardis Road
Amherst, VA 24521
[email protected]
Newsletter
Gigi Doersch Paddock
(757) 566.8856
7567 Vincent Drive
Toano, VA 23168
[email protected]
Random Thoughts
From President
Andrew Lemmens
The success of our recent mini-reunion was due,
in large part, to the scouting and leg-work of Rene Burtner. All of us who attended gave him a resounding “hand.” Everyone pitched in with liquid refreshments and a variety of finger foods. As always, the meeting with old friends
was the most rewarding part.
• While visiting the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum I spent considerable
time walking around the Memorial Gardens. There are now hundreds of commemorative bricks, each engraved with a name, in short walls throughout the
garden. There are also dozens of memorial plaques - about 2 ft. square - commemorating bomber groups. Noticeably lacking are ones dedicated to fighter
groups. It’s as if the memorial garden is a bomber retreat!
The 352nd Fighter Group from Bodney, our neighbor in England, has
a beautiful memorial bench in the garden. I think our Group should also have
a special memorial in the garden. I don’t presume to say what it should be but
we should think abut it. Share your thoughts with us.
• I have another item for discussion. What do we do with the memorial
plaque that has the names of our deceased service members on it? I think the
time has come for it too to be retired. I brought it home from our last “hosted”
reunion (2007 Charlottesville). I think it will be difficult to maintain in coming years as our ranks diminish. To me, it has served its purpose to remember
our lost comrades each year at annual reunions and memorial services. Such
reunions are of the past so what do we do with it now? Again, your comments
and ideas are most welcome. -Andy Lemmens
Replies can be sent to Andy (contact info on left) or to the Outer Circle.
Subscription Fees
The Outer Circle reminds readers of its dependence upon
subscription fees to meet the current goals of four issues per year.
Remin
der
Annual fee - $15 (association widows exempt)
Treasurer Charlie Levitt (contact info on left) sends out reminders for subscription renewal at year’s end. Please mark your calendars to keep subscription fees current. Many thanks to all who sent in contributions “above and beyond” their fee. We gratefully accept!
NOW...
THE REST OF THE STORY
On August 19, I got a call
from Larry Nelson, Jr., of Mesa,
AZ. He found us from a web site
with the Outer Circle on it. Larry
called Vernon Judkins, since he
lived fairly close. Vernon referred
him on to me.
Larry, Jr., a firefighter,
and his father Larry Nelson, Sr.,
Aaron W. Nelson, 368th
Mayor of Yuma, were seeking information on Aaron W. Nelson,
368th, their grandfather/father respectively. As we talked it became apparent
that another member of this family has the aforementioned original oil painting of Howard Fogg’s aerial combat painting, which resided in Wretham Hall
until the close of the war in 1945. Maj. Aaron W. Nelson, Executive Officer
of the 368th FS, brought this painting home with him at war’s end. The original painting now resides in the home of a close relative of the late Aaron W.
Nelson. You can’t beat that!!
In addition, Larry, Sr. has several of his father’s letters, which he is
putting in chronological order to summarize their content along with several negatives to be printed. I’m prepared to help them with identification
of these photos. Aaron Nelson is mentioned twice, very briefly, in Howard
Fogg’s wartime diary.
Aaron W. Nelson met an untimely death in 1969 as a result of a fall
from a ladder. Thus, his family never got to ask him much about his service
time in WW II.
Several of the Aaron Nelson family members are Eagle Scouts,
including his son Larry. Sr., his grandson, Larry, Jr. and his three sons; two of
Larry Jr’s. brothers and three of their sons. A grand legacy!
Vineyard update – We’ll be harvesting about 10 tons of Chardonnay grapes on Sat. Sept. 6, after culling out 6,000 lbs. of grapes affected by
powdery mildew. Oh, the joys of farming!
pg. 7
Taps
- No Photo Percy Warren
368th
March/2008
Thomas W. Morris
370th
July/2008
Char’s plea:
If you have letters and/or diaries, etc. related to your relative’s wartime years with the 359th, PLEASE share them with me. If you can’t copy, I have a commercial copy machine and would be
most happy to do the work, returning all originals to you. You might
not think these documents are of
any importance, BUT TRUST ME,
THEY ARE!! (Contact info, pg. 2)
-Char Baldridge, Group Historian
Frances Moore
(Mrs. Douglas)
September/2007
pg. 6
Email Address
Change
Dortha Doersch
[email protected]
________
Address Changes
Nancy Jennings
3188 Verdant Way
San Jose, CA
95117-3070
William Kindelan
626 park Ln., Apt. A
Greensburg, PA
15601-1539
William Laputz
Fountainview Care Ctr.
88 Clark Lane
Waterford, CT
06385-2118
Douglas Moore
8887 S. Lewis Ave., #303
Tulsa, OK 74137-3219
(918) 298.7968
John Waugh
8 Lonran Drive
Rochester, NY
14624-3914
Historian Report
Connections!
From Char Baldridge
In March of this year, Janet
and Richard Fogg (Richard is the
son of the late Howard L. Fogg, Jr.,
368th) contacted me inquiring about
photographs to include in a manuscript of Howard Fogg’s transcribed
wartime diary. Howard had faithfully kept a daily diary from October
‘43 through September ‘44. The
Foggs’ plan was to collect materials
to publish a book. Peter Randall of
the “Little Friends” web site directed
them to Rene Burtner, who in turn
directed them to me.
Capt. Howard L. Fogg was
one of the original fighter pilots with
the 368th Fighter Squadron of the
359th FG. On April 14, 1944 Howard
L. Fogg, Jr., posed with one of his
oil paintings based on his combat
experience. This painting hung on a
wall of the bar at Wretham Hall until
the end of the war. Upon returning
stateside Howard went on to become
a renowned artist of railroad trains.
I’d been aware of Howard
Fogg’s diary for many years and
couldn’t believe that some day soon
I might be able read it in its entirety. Howard Fogg had graciously sent a
couple of excerpts
from his diary, upon
my phone requests,
but I never quite had
the guts to ask him
if he would permit
me to make a copy
of it for the 359th FG
history archive files. Can you believe
that? The Foggs
replied they’d have
clean draft of their
transcribed manu-
script of Howard L. Fogg’s wartime
diary completed by the end of April
and would send me a review copy. I
sent them some relevant information
about the Group and several photos
for inclusion as supporting and/or
informational material for their project. Working with them has been a
fantastic experience for me!
In early May, I received their
unbelievable manuscript of Fogg in
the Cockpit, The Wartime Diary of
Captain Howard L. Fogg, Jr.,
October 1943 to Sept. 1944, with
supporting information written by Janet and Richard Fogg, approximately
60,000 words.
I’ve read every word of this
manuscript twice and was completely
blown away. It is of such a human
scale and so insightful as to the life
you guys lived. It would certainly
bring back a flood of memories to all
that were there. The Foggs currently have this
manuscript out to several possible
publishers. We’ll keep you informed
on the progress of their publication.
continued =>
cations of the remains, at a gathering of family members of
missing soldiers in Connecticut.
Said Howard Enoch III, director of the Robsham Theater
Arts Center at Boston College, “It was the bitter sweetness
of a dream come true and sadness of the lost years.”
Enoch never knew his father. Only 19 when he signed
up, the father left behind a 17-year-old wife and an unborn
son in the hills of western Kentucky. The son was born
three months after his father’s death. The older Enoch entered the Army on April 15, 1944. Nearly a year later
he was a second lieutenant with the 368th Fighter Squadron and was wingman to
Major Niven Cranfill furnishing support for the 1st Force, 3rd Air Division, hitting
targets at Halle. He engaged a swarm of Me262s east of Leipzig when he went
down. Eight years later, the military declared the soldier unrecoverable.
In 2004, German historian Hans Guenther Ploes identified a particular rural
area as a potential location of plane wreckage. Defense Department officials
found fragments of the plane scattered over an area the size of a football field. Two years later, military investigators recovered human remains and aircraft
wreckage. A forensic analysis confirmed the identity in April.
Enoch keeps a memorial to his father on a shelf in his living room, where
black-and-white photos are joined by military distinctions that include a Purple
Heart, air medal, and a pilot ring his father used to wear, but stopped for fear of
scratching it. His father’s name is also featured on the Tablets of the Missing at
the Henri-Chappelle American Cemetery in Belgium.
After their discovery the archaeological findings were sent to Hawaii for
analysis. (Lieutenant Enoch’s remains were identified at the Joint POW/MIA
Accounting Command or JPAC for short – the largest forensic anthropology lab
in the world.) The Army studied the geography of the crash, the style and plane
identification, and, ultimately, DNA.
Howard III says, “I have a father, and he has a story. I
am just now, after all these years, beginning to know that
story... I grew up believing no one knew anything and no
one remembered my dad. I was so wrong. And now I am
so grateful!” Burial of Howard Clifton Enoch, Jr., will
take place September 22 at Arlington Cemetery, service at
1:00 p.m.
Special thanks to Leon Levitt and to Mark Baker
(USAF Ret.) who contacted the Outer Circle with this story; Howard Enoch III
for permission to publish. Thanks also to Char Baldridge and the 368th Squadron
History, the Boston Globe, and the Framingham Mass. Daily News. Contact info for Howard Enoch III:
7 Hilltop Lane, Framingham, MA 01701
[email protected]
Set your sights on
Dayton: July 10-12, 2009
Howard L. Fogg, 368th
Take aim for next year’s mini-reunion in Dayton, Oh.,
home of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Watch the Outer Circle for details!
pg. 3
Co-founders
Tony Chardella
Floyd Myers
Board of
Directors
Andrew Lemmens
President
Vernon Judkins
Vice President
John Baldridge
Lawrence Beaupre
Randall Jennings
Tom Mettel
Nancy Jennings
Char Baldridge
Gigi Paddock
Past Presidents
Nancy Jennings, 2006
Tom Mettel, 2005
Randall Jennings, 2004 Lawrence Beaupre, 2003
John Baldridge, 2002
Arvy Kysely, 2001
Andrew Lemmens, 2000
Leon Levitt, 1999
John McAlevey, 1998
Tom Morris, 1997
Bill Stepp, 1996
Gene Surowiec, 1995
George Doersch, 1994
Andrew Lemmens, 1992/93
Earl Adkins, 1991
Jack Bateman, 1990
Martha Staley, 1989
Robert York, 1988
Larry Bouchard, 1987
Charles Morton, 1985/86
Joe Meisl, 1983/84
John Oliphint, 1981/82
Robert Gaines, 1979/80
William R. Rufe, 1977/78
Anthony Macari, 1975/76
Anthony Chardella, 1973/74
Floyd Myers, 1973/74
Georgia on My Mind
pg. 4
pg. 5
2008 Mini-Reunion, Savannah
Photo contributors: Rene Burtner, Tom Mettel, Leon Levitt, Paul Paddock
Mighty 8th Air Force
Museum
“He lived to bear his
country’s arms. He died
to save its honor. He was
a soldier and he knew
a soldier’s duty. His
sacrifice will help to keep
aglow the flaming torch
that lights our lives... that
millions yet unborn may
know the priceless joy of
liberty. And we who pay
homage, and revere his
memory, in solemn pride
rededicate ourselves to
a complete fulfillment
of the task for which he
so gallantly has placed
his life upon the altar of
humanity’s freedom.”
H. H. Arnold
Commanding General
Army Air Forces
Rene Burtner
Andy & Shirley Lemmens
Chapel of the Fallen Eagles
359th display case
Leon Levitt
Howard Higgins
Charlie Levitt
Museum Memorial Gardens
Mission Report
Group tour of Mighty 8th AF Museum
Dortha Doersch, Belle & Donald & Don Windmiller,
Dave & Rose Paddock
359th Plaque in Museum
Warner & Curtis Jennings
Tom Mettel
Dr. David & Rex Powell
The Group’s ‘08 mini-reunion has come and gone. A very accommodating hotel (Best Western Bradbury Suites), a big hospitality room,
nearby restaurants, and the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum, all combined for
a great get-together this summer. Everyone brought the “party” (many thanks to the Burtner family
for replenishing supplies!) as Andy Lemmens mentioned in his letter (pg.
2). Special thanks to Rene Burtner serving as “man on the ground” and
handling arrangements. The Group visited the Mighty 8th Museum & Memorial Gardens escorted by tour guides. We met afterward in the Crown
and Eagle Pub for lunch. A trolley tour of Savannah was enjoyed by the
attendees, as we visited the Historic, Colonial, and Victorian districts on a
city tour, exploring the extraordinary architecture, charming city squares,
and the legends that make Savannah so unique. The Group had a great
weekend and enjoyed being together in such a beautiful setting. All systems “go” as we look ahead to meeting next summer in
Dayton, Oh., July 10-12, 2009.