LIEUT. JULIUS KUNZ JR. MISSING
BOMBER FAILS TO RETURN IN ITALY FLIGHT
Wesley Youth in the War Theater Only 3 Months
Mrs. Marie (Julius) Kunz, Wesley, received notice yesterday from the war department that her son, Lt. Julius Kunz, Jr., navigator on a B-24, had been missing over Italy since April 9.
The evening of April 8 Julius had, in a letter to his mother, said: "Some of the boys had a tough mission today, and we are hoping for a 'milk run' tomorrow." A 'milk run' in flight parlance is an easy mission.
To Italy in January
The young lieutenant, who had his first training at the CPT at Pella and Des Moines, enlisted in the air corps at Des Moines Sept. 14, 1943. He started training for a pilot and was in camps at Amarillo, Tex., Grand Forks, N.D., and Santa Ana Calif., finally at Hondo, Tex., where he transferred to navigator training and was graduated second lieutenant.
Julius had further training at LeMoore and March fields in California. He embarked from an Atlantic port last January for overseas duty and was with the 15th air force in Italy.
Practiced Law at Garner
Julius was graduated from the St. Thomas military academy, St. Paul, held a A.B. degree, and was also a graduate of the Iowa university law school. He practiced law in Garner nine months prior to entering service.
The youth is the only son, but there are two daughters, Mary Adine, student at the National college of education, Evanston, Ill., and June Adel, in FBI employ at Miami, Fla. The children's father died suddenly Feb. 12.
Source: Kossuth County Advance, April 24, 1945
HERO HONORED -- Memorial service for Lt. Julius Kunz, Jr., 28, were held at the Catholic church at Wesley Monday with the Rev. L.N. Klein celebrant at high mass. The American Legion assisted. He was navigator on a B-24 in Italy, and was missing in action over Bologna April 9, 1945. His squadron was given special recognition for flying the longest mission any 4-motor bomber ever made in the European theater. He is the son of Mrs. Julius Kunz, Sr. of Wesley.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, September 12, 1945 (photo included)
80 Kossuth Men Officially Listed As Casualties In War
FIRST RELEASE OF STATE HISTORICAL DEATH SUMMARIES
Eighty men from Kossuth county lost their lives while in the service of their country in World War II.
KOSSUTH'S WAR DEAD.
Kunz, Julius Jr. 2nd Lt.
Killed over Bologna, Italy, Apr. 9, 1945. Mother: Mrs. Julius Kunz, Wesley, Ia.
Source: The Algona Upper DesMoines, Tuesday, January 22, 1946 – page 7.
Julius Kunz, Jr. was born Dec. 29, 1916 to Julius (Sr.) and Marie Kunz. He died Apr. 9, 1945 and is buried in Florence American Cemetery, Impruneta, Italy.
Lt. Kunz served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 720th Bomber Squadron, 450th Bomber Group, Heavy and was MIA/KIA over Italy. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com
