Leonard Kozarek
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Leonard R. Kozarek of Duluth, Minnesota enlisted in the Army Air Corps in December,1940.
He was a licensed pilot and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and bombardier with "Ted's Flying Circus", the 43rd Bomb Group, which performed anti-submarine duty near the Continental United States. It was the first heavy bomb group to fly the northern route to England, arriving in September 1942. The unit flew bombing missions over Europe with the 8th Air Force from bases in England. It was assigned to anti-sub patrol at the time of the invasion of North Africa and was sent temporarily to Oran to bomb Tunisia.
He recalls: "On our first mission over Bizerte our B-24 (Liberator) bomber returned with over 1,000 holes. Later the group was assigned to the 12th Air Force and bombed Tunisia and Italy.
"On a single-plane twilight bombing mission to Tunis, our B-24 ("Big Dealer") met its demise on Jan. 10, 1943. We had four killed, four injured and two unhurt. We were picked up by the British. I was in a British field hospital for three to four weeks and then returned to flight status. We kept bombing Tunis and Italy. I returned to the 5th Air Force at Hardwick, England, where bombing of Europe was continued. I then returned to States to retake pilot training and graduated as a twin-engine 1st pilot but was denied numerous requests to be returned to combat duty.
"The most notable event: while in England was when Mr. Lovett, the assistant war secretary, made a promise to the remaining flying members of the 93rd Bomb Group that he would grant us an audience. He was accompanied by a Life magazine photographer, and our picture was published on the cover of Life. I went to Washington armed with a copy of magazine and called on Lovett in his office at the Pentagon and requested my return to a combat unit. On my return to Big Springs, Tenn., I again petitioned for a transfer and was immediately sent to Smyrna, Tenn., where I became a B-24 1st pilot (aircraft commander). I was then sent to the Clovis, N.M., air base where I became a B-29 lst pilot and assembled a crew destined for Guam.
"Due to a recurrence of an injury suffered in the 8th Air Force, I was grounded a month before departure and ended the war in a hospital at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver."
Mr, Kozarek received the: Purple Heart, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, American Defense Service Medal with bronze star, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars, American Campaign Medal World and War II Victory Medal.
He was honorably discharged as a Captain in November, 1945.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 157.
