| Into the maw of the
machines of war were fed more than guns and planes. This war, just as all those before, needed men and they went. Some
drafted. Some volunteers.
Edward Blaine Kinzer
was commissioned Ensign October 20, 1941. On
November 12, 1941, he was assigned to Scouting Squadron 5 on board the
aircraft carrier Yorktown. He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously
for extraordinary heroism and extreme disregard of his own personal
safety during the Battle of Coral Sea. He contributed materially to the
sinking or damaging of eight enemy vessels in Tulagi Harbor 4 May and
the sinking of Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho. On May 8th, while on
anti-torpedo plane control, he died while engaging “the continued attack
of enemy bombing and torpedo planes and their fighter support.”
The USS KINZER, a Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort
named for Edward Blaine Kinzer. arrived at Okinawa Gunto for her
pre-invasion mission March 26, 1945 and escorted LST's to their landings on
Kerama Retto. That night, the Kinzer landed marines on the various small
islands surrounding Okinawa to gather data on terrain and enemy activity.
The USS Kinzer was decommissioned on 18 December 1946 and entered the
Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego and was later moved to San Francisco. The
USS Kinzer was struck from the Navy List 1 March 1965 and sold to
Nationalist China on 21 April 1965 under the Military Assistance Program. The USS Kinzer received one battle star for her service in World War II and
the China Service Medal.
The following link gives the history of the USS KINZER in action in WWII
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/escorts/de232.txt
Clarence L. Kinser was a survivor of the Bataan Death March He joined the United States Army in 1939, serving in the Air Corps and later transferred to the United States Air Force. During World War II he was held as a Prisoner of War by the Japanese for 42 months. He survived the Bataan Death March, a forced march of about 65 miles to prison camps, which took place in the Philippines in April 1942. Many of the prisoners on this march died of disease or mistreatment.
Mr. Kinser retired from the Air Force in 1969, with the rank of senior master sergeant.
Elbert Luther Kinser served with the First Marine Division on a little island in the South
Pacific named Okinawa he was one of those who paid the price war demands.
His citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the
risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,while acting as leader of a rifle platoon,
serving with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division,
in action against Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain,
4May1945.
Taken under close attack by hostile forces entrenched on the reverse slope while moving up a strategic ridge along with his platoon was holding newly
won positions, Sgt. Kinser engaged the enemy in a fierce hand grenade battle. Quick to
act when a Japanese grenade landed in the immediate vicinity, Sgt. Kinser
unhesitatingly threw himself on the deadly missile, absorbing the full charge of the shattering
explosion in his own body and thereby protecting his men from serious injury and
possible death. Stouthearted and indomitable, he had yielded his own chance for survival
that his comrades might to carry on the relentless battle against a fanatic
enemy. His courage, cool decision, and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the
face of certain death sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the U. S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. Elbert Luther Kinser was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, one of seven awarded to Tennesseans during World War II.
Marion E. "Pete" Kinser
  Marion E. "Pete" Kinser flew in "Privateers" .with Navy Patrol
Bombing Squadron
VPB-109 during World War II as a Radioman
and an Air Gunner. The Privateer was a land based, long
range, four engine patrol bomber designated by the Navy as
PB4Y-2. This Squadron flew combat missions against the
Japanese from bases in the Philippines, Tinian, Iwo Jima and
Okinawa
Pete and several other crewmen were seriously wounded on May
17, 1945, when their two Privateers were attacked off the
coast of southern Japan, by twelve Japanese "George" fighter
aircraft. During the attack both Privateers were badly
damaged but returned safely to their base on Okinawa.. The
Japanese lost at least one aircraft in that battle. Pete
received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds he suffered from
this attack He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross and four Air Medals for distinguished service and for
the missions he flew.
Now, sixty years later Pete was honored again. Selected
by the Military Order of The Purple Heart organization Pete
represented the state of Missouri at the dedication of
the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC on
Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30, 2004. |