GERARD F. WIENTJES,  0-374107 - PILOT - COMMANDER


Lieutenant Colonel Gerard F. WientjesLieutenant Colonel (USAF Ret.) Gerard Francis Wientjes, (1917-1979) was born in Ottenheim, Kentucky on March 2, 1917 to Barbara Russell and Frank Wientjes. Gary was the oldest of 5 children. He completed High School in Cullman, Alabama on 5 June 1934. He then completed one year of College at Berea College in Kentucky. Colonel Wientjes then enlisted in the Army Infantry 24 June 1937 (10th Infantry) and after serving two years as an enlisted soldier he applied for and accepted a Reserve Commission in February 1939. He was assigned to Scott Field, Illinois as a Personnel Officer until 1 August 1941 when he was transferred to Keesler Field, Mississippi. Once there he assumed duties as the Personnel Officer in charge of Officer records. On 6 September 1942 he was transferred to Ellington Field, (Hondo) Texas for Basic Flying School and graduated 30 June 1943. This was followed by Instument Instructor training from 1 July to 30 December 1943. His follow-up assignment was as an instructor (at Hondo) teaching flight school until 29 January 1944. On 23 February 1944 he was assigned to the 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron at Keesler Field, Mississippi. He was qualified in the OA-10A later that month as the Squadron was preparing to join the war effort in the South Pacific.

He was assigned to ferry OA-10A aircraft 44-33876 from California to New Guinea with crew: (Co-pilot) 2nd Lt. Eric A. Lakes, (Navigator) 2nd Lt. Peter F. "PBY" Naylor, (Engineer) T/Sgt. John Y. Cunningham Jr., (Radio) Cpl. Raymond B. Bean, and (Radar Opr) Sgt. George E. Bock.  They arrived in New Guinea in July 1944, Colonel Wientjes flew his first rescue mission on 31 July 1944 and another 98 combat missions after that totaling 750 hours during his 16 months supporting the 5th and the 13th Air Forces in their effort to retake the Philippine Islands from the Japanese. Gary flew OA-10A's, C-47B's, and B-17H's while assigned to the 2nd ERS. Colonel Wientjes (then Captain) was assigned as Operations Officer, Intelligence Officer, Flight leader of "Headquarters" and "A" flights and before leaving had served as the Squadron Commander several times while Major Lewis was on leave.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice for missions with the 2nd ERS. His first was for a mission on 19 December 1944, and the second for his first mission flown on 31 July 1944. Paperwork must have gotten lost? Who knows.

He was promoted to Major on 26 April 1945 while serving with the 2nd ERS and was rotated Stateside in November 1945 after the war was over in the Pacific. He remained on active duty with the new United States Air Force and achieved the rating of Command pilot on 10 September 1957. He retired in 1968, serving in Vietnam as a AC-47 "Spooky" pilot, his final duty as a military pilot with more than 7,500 hours of flight time. He died on July 4, 1979 in Las Vegas, Nevada and is buried in Trenton, Tennessee next to his mother Barbara and his sister and Brother-in-Law, Elizabeth and Robert Teegarden.

Back to "Roster"..



G E R A R D  F.  W I E N T J E S'   R E C O R D S

[Top]

ORDER NO. & DATE

DESCRIPTION  & ISSUING HQ

RECOM. FOR APPOINTMENT
(21 February 1938)
A recommendation for appointment to the rank of Second Lieutenant. Service Company, 10th Infantry - Ft. Thomas, Kentucky.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 220
(27 October 1938)
This was the board that met to see if Uncle Gary was officer material.  Headquarters, 10th Infantry - Ft. Thomas, Kentucky
CERTIFICATE OF EXAM
(01 November 1938)
The examination results for the promotion to Second Lieutenant. This measured one's abilities in the following areas: Organization of the Army, Organization of the Infantry, Military Law, Map and photograph Reading, Administration, Guard Duty etc. Ft. Thomas, Kentucky
APPOINTMENT ORDERS
(24 January 1939)
Appointment to Second Lieutenant in the United States Infantry Reserve. War Department, Adjutant General's Office,
CLASSIFICATION
(01 February 1939)
Uncle Gary's questionare for classification as a Reserve Officer.
OATH OF OFFICE
(01 February 1939)
Uncle Gary's Oath of Office as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve. Headquarters, 10th Infantry - Ft. Thomas, Kentucky
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 92
(19 April 1941)
Orders placing him on Active Duty for one year with the Army Air Corps and stationing him at Scott Field, Illinois awaiting flight school. Headquarters, Sixth Corps Area, Chicago, Illinois.
ACTIVE DUTY ORDERS
(02 May 1941)
Orders further assigning him at Scott Field, Illinois awaiting flight school. Headquarters, Sixth Corps Area, Chicago, Illinois.
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(01 May 1941 - 30 Jun 1941)
WD Form 67 - Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. Scott Field, Illinois
EXAM AT NEW STATION
(27 June 1941)
Uncle Gary's Oath of Office as a Second Lieutenant. Headquarters, 10th Infantry - Ft. Thomas, Kentucky [Map]
WARRANT OFFICER RECOM.
(24 December 1941)
Recommendation for being appointed a Warrant Officer. Headquarters, Air Corps Technical School - Keesler Field, Mississippi
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(06 Aug 1941 - 17 Jan 1942)
WD Form 67 - Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. Keesler Field, Mississippi
PROMOTION RECOMM,
(03 June 1942)
Recommendation to promote Uncle Gary from 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant. Headquarters, Technical School and Replacement Center - Keesler Field, Mississippi.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 158
(15 June 1942)
An extract of orders promoting Gerard F. Wientjes from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant.
OATH OF OFFICE
(19 June 1942)
Uncle Gary's Oath of Office as a First Lieutenant in the Army Reserve. War Department
PERSONNEL ORDER No. 213 
(05 September 1942)
Headquarters, War Department, Army Air Corps - Orders to participate in regular aerial flights as a Reserve Officer. (Flight Status)
TRANSFER ORDERS 
(23 October 1942)
Orders transferring Uncle Gary to the Air Corps Reserve
INDORSEMENT
(09 January 1943)
Indorsement for assignment mobilization specialties.
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(01 Jul 1943 - 31 Dec 1943)
Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. Hondo Army Airfield, Texas [Map]
CERTIF. OF COMPLETION
(04 November 1943)
Certificate of Completion - Weights and Balances Course - Headquarters,  Technical School, Army Air Forces Technical Training Command, Yale University
PROMOTION RECOM.
(31 January 1944)
A memorandum sent to higher Headquarters recommending Gerard F. Wientjes be promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain. Army Air Forces Navigation School, Hondo, Texas. His effective date of promotion was 23 February 1944.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 46
(23 February 1944)
An extract of orders promoting Gerard F. Wientjes from First Lieutenant to Captain.
SQUADRON ORDERS No. 8
(29 February 1944)
Assigning duties to Officers and promotion orders for enlisted members. Issued by Second Emergency Rescue Squadron, Gulfport Field, Mississippi.
OPERATIONS ORDERS No. 3
(21 March 1944)
Orders naming members of the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron as PRINCIPAL PILOTS on the OA-10, AT-11, and the L-5 aircraft. 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron, Gulfport Field, Mississippi [Map]
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(01 Jul 1944 - 31 Dec 1944)
Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. This one was by the 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron during his time in the Southwest Pacific, rated by Lt. Col Wallace S. Ford
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(01 Jan 1945 - 30 Jun 1945)
Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. This one was by the HQ, 13th Emergency Rescue Group during his time in the Southwest Pacific, rated by Lt. Col Wallace S. Ford
PRINCIPAL PILOT (B-25)
(11 January 1945)
These showed where Harry, Clarence Solander, John Denison, Eric Lakes, Gerard Wientjes, Leroy Nelson, Bob Rohlfing, Wayne Schandelmeier, and  Art Carothers were appointed Principal Pilots of the C-47 Skytrain.
PRINCIPAL PILOT (C-47)
(16 January 1945)
Orders naming members of the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron as PRINCIPAL PILOTS on the C-47 aircraft. 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron, APO 719 (Morotai)
LETTER of COMMENDATION
(04 February 1945)
A letter of commendation for a rescue on 23 November 1944 given by Lieutenant General George C. Kenney, Commander, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific
ORDER for AWARD
(12 March 1945)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a mission on 19 December 1944, per General Order No. 371, Headquarters, Far East Air Forces.
ORDER for AWARD
(11 April 1945)
Awarded the Air Medal for operational flight missions from 25 July 1944 to 16 August 1944, per General Orders No. 516, Headquarters, Far East Air Forces.
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 114
(26 April 1945)
An extract of announcement temporarily promoting Gerard F. Wientjes from Captain to Major. Headquarters, United States Army Air Forces in the Far East.
ORDER for AWARD
(29 May 1945)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (1st Oak Leaf Cluster) for a mission on 31 July 1944, per General Order No. 933, Headquarters, Far East Air Forces.
EFFICIENCY REPORT
(01 Jul 1945 - 31 Dec 1945)
Efficiency Reports were the original Officer Evaluaion Reports of today. This one was done after he returned back Stateside by an unknown unit and provided no rating.
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
(28 September 1945)
Orders authotrzing Uncle Gary to wear the Presidential Unit Citation. Headquarters, Second Emergency Rescue Squadron, AP0 719-2
RECORDS BRIEF
(10 October 1947)
Orders This was the standared Officer Records brief that showed all the assignments and aircraft qualifications of the respective officer.
   


 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron - All Rights Reserved