The story
What we know about this family, told in their own words.
Verbatim excerpts from the source memoirs and interview notes, organized chronologically. Each citation points back to the page in the original.
- 1923-1928 (Jim's earliest memories)
Grandpa Lorenz spoke only German
I don't remember much about Grandpa Lorenz, as he died of 'heart disease' at age 73, in 1928, when I was 5. He spoke only German, as I recall.
Anchored to August LorenzSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 1
- ca. 1903
The girl's name on the family grave
There is mention of a daughter who died as an infant. Herb thought she was born and buried in Germany, but Ella Marie said there was a girl's name on the family grave site at Grace Lawn cemetery in Elkhart.
Anchored to Ottilie Emelia Kunkel LorenzSource: Lorenz Family Notes · page 2Research lead: A visit to Grace Lawn Cemetery in Elkhart should resolve whether there is in fact a Lorenz daughter buried there — this would name the unrecorded child.
- ca. 1908
811 Oakland Avenue and the Potowatomi deed
Dad built this house around 1908; our deed on the land indicates it was part of an area bought from a chief of the Potowatomi Indians, who actually signed the deed with his mark. The house was two stories with a full attic and full basement, wood siding and asphalt shingles, AND no insulation!
Anchored to Henry August Lorenz · Place: 811 Oakland Avenue, Elkhart, Indiana, USASource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 3
- 1913-1919
How Mae came to the family
Lorena was born April 4, 1912. Emma became ill (we think it was T B) and after 5 years' of illness died March 13, 1917. Dad, at this time, had a small grocery — Kunkel & Lorenz — at Ninth Street and Harrison Street, some five blocks from his house. When Emma became ill in 1913, Dad hired Fannie Mae Shafer — a 21 year old practical nurse — to care for her. Dad married Mae, as she liked to be called, February 14, 1919.
Anchored to Fanny Mae ShaferSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 1
- ca. 1933-1940
Mom's mangle and the lawyers' laundry
Mom expanded her washings — by word from her satisfied customers — who included lawyers, bankers, officials. She bought a mangle — a commercial type iron which could press big sheets or tablecloths. This was set up in our dining room. Customers would drop off and pick up their laundry — so I got to meet them all (useful for me later on).
Anchored to Fanny Mae ShaferSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 5
- 1932
When Roosevelt closed the banks
In grade school, students were encouraged to bring a few pennies every week to be banked in a real 1st National Bank. I usually was given a nickel — but there was a grocery store on my way to school and they had great penny candy. Of course I had to live some, so I usually banked only 3 or 4 cents, to get the 2% interest. When the banks were closed by President Roosevelt in 1932, I had $12.55 in my account. I went to the bank to take it out — on advice — and they gave me only $4.00. The balance they would keep and maybe give to me later. So much for my financial beginning. The bank eventually did return all the money — after some years.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 5
- ca. 1934
The corn sheller and the thumb
On one of our farm visits, around 1934, I almost lost my left thumb. I was playing with a corn sheller — a 3 foot high cast iron, hand operated machine. It had an 18 inch fly wheel of iron, with 1/2 in knobs on it, to hold and then eject the corn cobs. One cob didn't eject, so with the fly wheel still moving, I reached in with my left hand to pull out the cob. My thumb jammed in the machine caught on one of the knobs and stuck. They reversed the wheel and found my thumb had a big tear at the knuckle over 1/2 way around. Grampa Shafer ran some cold well water over it — and I passed out. Mom had come out that day with Eddie and Lorena to pick us up. We then went to the lady country doctor down the road (Maybe she was veterinarian, I don't recall.) She suggested cutting off my thumb — Mom said 'NO.' So they wrapped it up and took us home. Our old family Doctor Wagner said it might heal if we use enough peroxide. 'Soak it for 15 minutes four times a day for a week in hydrogen peroxide, then put this salve on it.' It sure looked like boiling water when I soaked the thumb in the peroxide. And it worked. My left thumb is almost 1/2 inch shorter than my right one — but I still had it — with only a scar at the knuckle joint.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 6
- 1941-12-07
Hearing about Pearl Harbor
I well remember Dec. 7, 1941. Rex, Corvin, Bob and I were driving over to Goshen about 4 pm Sunday afternoon when the flash came over the car radio — Pearl Harbor had been bombed and most of our navy ships sunk. We could not believe it. It became real on Monday, as the entire school assembled to hear Congress and President Roosevelt declare war on Japan. Even then, we didn't think too much about it — our lives so far had hardly changed. We all had to register for the draft — but that was next year.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 9
- 1944-09-05
First mission: emergency landing at Amiens
On Sept. 5, I flew my 1st mission as co pilot with Lt. Kinsey's crew in 'Gran Slam' — to Karlsruhe marshalling yards. This was Kinsey's crew's 13th mission. And we did not get back to base that day. Flak was heavy and accurate, as we bombed at 26,000 feet CAVU with 10 500 pound G P bombs. We had a FLACK hit in no. 4 engine, lost oil and feathered it. We hit clouds at 20,000 feet and lost the formation. We went under the clouds at 2000 feet to try to tell where we were. A landing strip appeared below, so we started to land. However, the strip had been badly bombed out, and as we pulled up to go around, we lost no. 1 engine and feathered it. We saw a field ahead where gliders and fighters were landing. We fired yellow flares and broke into the pattern and landed. This turned out to be B-48 Advance Field Base near Amiens, France, taken by Canadian forces 2 days earlier. We were fortunate they had a few aircraft mechanics who helped our crew fix the oil leaks and cylinders. We were low on fuel, so they gave us 100 5gal jerry cans of motor fuel. We had to haul it up on top the wing and filter the water out with a chamois as we poured it in the tanks. We officers did this while the crew went to town with the Canadians. We stayed overnight and were not too happy with the German snipers around. The next morning, we took off on four engines, but lost one on takeoff. Flew to England on three engines. Our radio codes were out of date, so we requested 'Colgate' fighters to escort us to base around the London balloon nets. All were glad to see us, as we were reported MIA for 36 hours.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Reminiscences: Lt. James H. Lorenz, Pilot at Attlebridge 466th Group 785th Squadron, August 14 1944 to May 6 1945 · page 26
- 1944-1945
Never a scratch
I feel I was very lucky, never getting so much as a scratch on my missions — and no member of my crew was ever wounded. I didn't miss not having a Purple Heart medal. I was offered the job of squadron operations officer with promotion to Captain as I completed my missions. I refused, as the point system for separation from the service had been announced — and I had enough points to get back to college life.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Reminiscences: Lt. James H. Lorenz, Pilot at Attlebridge 466th Group 785th Squadron, August 14 1944 to May 6 1945 · page 31
- 1944-1945
Providence
I had attended the Grace Lutheran Church, but never joined as a member. I went to the chaplain, told him I would like to join now. He arranged a telephone joining for me with Rev. Alpanalp — the minister at Grace Church in Elkhart. This was only the first of many events that I can't explain why I did them — but they must have been Providence guided, as I did survive against great odds.
Anchored to James Henry LorenzSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 10
- 1945-1950
Meeting Mary at the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority
One of the dental students at fraternity, Paul Gregg, worked as a waiter at the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority — just four houses down the street. He asked if I would like to be a waiter for my evening meal — of course I did. Providence? I not only worked there, but my last two years was head waiter. Thus, I had a key to the house — to set up the breakfast for the girls — and me. The girls had to wear dresses for dinner and waiters were in white jackets. There was one girl who was a slow eater (guess who?) — and we had to clear all the dishes and get them washed before we could leave. We would chat with her, while we cleared all the other dishes, by the house mother's permission. We were not allowed to date the girls in the house. However, when I asked the house mother if I could date Mary, she ruled that since Mary lived in the sorority annex around the corner — she did not live in the 'house.' Thus we had our first date on a hay ride — and life has been a ball ever since.
Anchored to Mary Jeanne BurtonSource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 12
- 1923-1934
How we heated the house
The house was heated by the coal fired furnace — with heat rising by convection only to the first and second story rooms; one cold air return was in the entrance hallway = 3X3 foot square made of wood. A single chain control in the kitchen opened or shut the air supply damper on the furnace — our only control of how hot we wanted it. The trick was to 'bank' the fire by shoveling in ashes over the flame to hold it overnight. In the morning someone had to go to the basement, shake out the ashes, remove any clinkers — large sintered rocks which had to be removed by hand — and they were heavy, add more coal and open the damper. Amazingly, we seldom had to relight a fire.
Place: 811 Oakland Avenue, Elkhart, Indiana, USASource: Jim Lorenz Reminiscences · page 3