Neal M Lenti
Military ROLL OF HONOURUploaded
Neal was born in New York to Attilio and Gilda Lenti, immigrant parents from Italy. The family moved to Springfield MA, where Neal's father ran a hotel. Neal enlisted shortly after Pearl Harbor and trained in Texas. His crew flew over to Hethel England in May of 1943 as part of of the 8th Air Force, 389th Bombardment Group. The 565th Bomber Squadron was sent to North Africa in August of 1943 as part of the Allied effort to attack strategic sites in Europe from the south. His squadron was sent "on loan" to North Africa in July and participated in the famed Ploesti Oil Refinery raid- Operation Tidal Wave, on 01 August, and the unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. Of 177 B-24s that were launched in the raid, 53 were lost and another 55 damaged, with the loss of 660 men. At this writing in 2018, it's unclear if Neal and his crew participated as lists are incomplete, but his wife, Eleanor, recounted that he was in North Africa in August of 1943, so it is very plausible. Neal and his squadron then returned to Hethel on 01 October. Participating in the very risky long range daylight bombing missions, where the bombers had to out distance their shorter range fighter escorts and became relatively defenseless, his plane was shot down just after a bombing raid over the shipyards in Vegesack/Bremerhaven Germany on 08 October 1943. Nine of the ten crew members were lost while the Co-pilot, Reino (Ray) Hockert, survived and was immediately captured and became a POW. Neal left behind a wife, Eleanor, soon to be son, Neal Howard, born one week later on 15 October 1943, a sister Liana Lenti (Lukon), sister Angela, and his father, Attilio.
Navigator 2/Lt Lenti, Neal M. KIA 389th BG
Missing Air Crew Report
Details: USAAF MACR#: 2444Date
Lost: 8-Oct-43Serial Number: 42-63958
Aircraft Model B-24D-15-CF
Aircraft Letter: R
Aircraft Name: LUCKY TIGER #42-63958
Squadron: 565th
BSLocation: Spika, Germany
Cause: German Fighters
Killed in Action (KIA).
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
New York, NY, USA | 27 July 1916 | |
Died |
8 October 1943 | ||
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Germany | 8 October 1943 |
Revisions
Eleanor Lenti (Howard) letter to Bob Ravener 11 Feb 2012
Several source documents referencing the 8th Air Force, 389th Bomb. Grp, and the 565th Bomber Squadron
All service members participating in the European Theater are authorized this medal.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2444 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database