Sergeant Theodore Joseph “TJ” Henze, born 2 Feb 1921, was the son of John and Katie (Meuehl) Henze of Pine Mountain Township, just south of Conway, Faulkner County, Arkansas. Conway is 32 miles north northwest of Little Rock.

In the 1930 census 9-year-old TJ is living with his parents and siblings John 23, Henry 19, Gottfried 15, Margaret 14, Anna 12, and Clara 5, in Pine Mountain. His father is farming.

In the 1940 census 19-year-old TJ is living with his parents and siblings Henry 29, Gottfried 25, Anna 21, Clara 15, and Catherine 9, still in Pine Mountain. His father is still farming. TJ is a helper for a soil conservation engineer with the NYA (National Youth Administration).

On his 1942 draft registration TJ lists his address as RFD 2 Conway. His next of kin is his mother Catherine Meuehl Henze. He is employed by Massey Hardware Company in Conway.

TJ was inducted 9 Sep 1942 at Little Rock. He’d had four years of high school and was single without dependents. His civil occupation was listed under salespersons. He was 5’9” and weighed 137 lbs. He was assigned to the 718th Bomb Squadron of the 449th Bomb Group.

The 449th was based out of Grottaglie Field near Taranto in southern Italy. Sgt Henze was the left waist gunner on B-24 41-28606 “White Fang” piloted by 2nd Lt Harold E. Pinkard.

The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Arkansas show Henze, Theodore J, Sgt from Faulkner County as FOD (Finding of Death). An FOD was determined at least one year and one day after a soldier, sailor or airman went missing in action. His body must have been recovered later. On 14 Jan 1944 on a mission to Mostar, Yugoslavia, bombs from friendly aircraft above in the formation destroyed their aircraft in the air.

Eyewitness statement of Lt John Wood Jr.: “I heard a muffled explosion and looked out of my left window and saw ship 606 burst into flames. I turned my head away for a few seconds and when I looked out again, I saw the tail end completely break away from the rest of the ship. I doubt very much if anyone could have survived the explosion.”

Eyewitness statement of Lt Rexford E Tompkins: “As “Bombs Away” on our ship was called, I looked out to see how ship 606 was doing, since he was flying off the left wing of the lead ship in our element. We were on the lead ship’s right wing. I saw his bombs start to fall, looked forward again, heard an explosion, I looked back and saw 606 fall off sharply on his right wing in a sheet of flame. Apparently, a bomb from an over-riding ship in the formation hit his right wing inboard of #3 engine and exploded his gas tanks. I doubt if anyone could have lived.”

Source: American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) Facebook contributor Brian Kueker.

Crew of B-24 41-28606 “White Fang”

Pilot: PICKARD, Harold E., LA – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Co Pilot: PERLBERG, Alvin L., NY – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Navigator: McELDOWNEY, Robert A., HI – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Bombardier: HALZEL, George W., MA - KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Top Turret: GEGOULIS, John V., MA – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Tail Gunner: HANSEN, Robert O., -POW 14 Jan 44 Pickard
Ball Turrett: HENZE, Theodore J., AK – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard
HEAVEY, JR., Patrick H.,
JOHN, Harris P, Lt Waist
MAHONEY, Daniel H., Lt. Waist Gunner – KIA 14 Jan 44 Pickard

This story became part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

Theodore J Henze