Served as a Staff Sgt. in the 413 Bomb Squadron, 96 Bomb Group (Heavy). Entered the service from Alabama.
Was MIA on return from mission to Dresden, Germany on 2 Mar. 1945. The crew consisted of Pilot: 1 LT Herbert "Herb" Edward Stilwell (Memorial #56294678), Co-Pilot: 1 Lt. Lloyd R. Snyder, Jr. (Memorial #56294514), Navigator: Arnold Schulke (#56294161), Bombardier: Lt. Joel Nussenoff (#56292967), Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: TSGT Ledley Leroy Basden (#56287617), Radio Operator: TSGT Hans H. Paulsen (#56293218), Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Herbert "Herb" M. Lafon (#56291564), Waist Gunner: SSGT Pat C. Vinzant, Tail Gunner: SSGT Neil A. Wagner (#56295254) (9 Crewmen KIA). Lost to mid-air collision with aircraft #43-37767, also of the 96 Bomb Group, over the North Sea and crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England. Missing Air Crew Report #12846.
See: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/?s=Vinzant
From Fold3: "The 96th Bombardment Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. On February 3, 1945 Staff Sergeant Pat C. Vinzant was the waist gunner on B-17 #44-8697 when the bomber was involved in a mid-air collision with another plane in its formation, B-17 #43-37767. They crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England into the North Sea. All nine crew members were classified as missing at sea and were eventually declared dead.
Staff Sergeant Cruise Vinzant was reported to have been overseas since October 1944 and to have received an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England and was awarded a Purple Heart."
For more information on SSGT Vinzant click on the Fold3 link below then the Stories tab.
Was MIA on return from mission to Dresden, Germany on 2 Mar. 1945. The crew consisted of Pilot: 1 LT Herbert "Herb" Edward Stilwell (Memorial #56294678), Co-Pilot: 1 Lt. Lloyd R. Snyder, Jr. (Memorial #56294514), Navigator: Arnold Schulke (#56294161), Bombardier: Lt. Joel Nussenoff (#56292967), Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: TSGT Ledley Leroy Basden (#56287617), Radio Operator: TSGT Hans H. Paulsen (#56293218), Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Herbert "Herb" M. Lafon (#56291564), Waist Gunner: SSGT Pat C. Vinzant, Tail Gunner: SSGT Neil A. Wagner (#56295254) (9 Crewmen KIA). Lost to mid-air collision with aircraft #43-37767, also of the 96 Bomb Group, over the North Sea and crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England. Missing Air Crew Report #12846.
See: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/?s=Vinzant
From Fold3: "The 96th Bombardment Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. On February 3, 1945 Staff Sergeant Pat C. Vinzant was the waist gunner on B-17 #44-8697 when the bomber was involved in a mid-air collision with another plane in its formation, B-17 #43-37767. They crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England into the North Sea. All nine crew members were classified as missing at sea and were eventually declared dead.
Staff Sergeant Cruise Vinzant was reported to have been overseas since October 1944 and to have received an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England and was awarded a Purple Heart."
For more information on SSGT Vinzant click on the Fold3 link below then the Stories tab.
Served as a Staff Sgt. in the 413 Bomb Squadron, 96 Bomb Group (Heavy). Entered the service from Alabama.
Was MIA on return from mission to Dresden, Germany on 2 Mar. 1945. The crew consisted of Pilot: 1 LT Herbert "Herb" Edward Stilwell (Memorial #56294678), Co-Pilot: 1 Lt. Lloyd R. Snyder, Jr. (Memorial #56294514), Navigator: Arnold Schulke (#56294161), Bombardier: Lt. Joel Nussenoff (#56292967), Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: TSGT Ledley Leroy Basden (#56287617), Radio Operator: TSGT Hans H. Paulsen (#56293218), Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Herbert "Herb" M. Lafon (#56291564), Waist Gunner: SSGT Pat C. Vinzant, Tail Gunner: SSGT Neil A. Wagner (#56295254) (9 Crewmen KIA). Lost to mid-air collision with aircraft #43-37767, also of the 96 Bomb Group, over the North Sea and crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England. Missing Air Crew Report #12846.
See: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/?s=Vinzant
From Fold3: "The 96th Bombardment Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. On February 3, 1945 Staff Sergeant Pat C. Vinzant was the waist gunner on B-17 #44-8697 when the bomber was involved in a mid-air collision with another plane in its formation, B-17 #43-37767. They crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England into the North Sea. All nine crew members were classified as missing at sea and were eventually declared dead.
Staff Sergeant Cruise Vinzant was reported to have been overseas since October 1944 and to have received an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England and was awarded a Purple Heart."
For more information on SSGT Vinzant click on the Fold3 link below then the Stories tab.
Was MIA on return from mission to Dresden, Germany on 2 Mar. 1945. The crew consisted of Pilot: 1 LT Herbert "Herb" Edward Stilwell (Memorial #56294678), Co-Pilot: 1 Lt. Lloyd R. Snyder, Jr. (Memorial #56294514), Navigator: Arnold Schulke (#56294161), Bombardier: Lt. Joel Nussenoff (#56292967), Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: TSGT Ledley Leroy Basden (#56287617), Radio Operator: TSGT Hans H. Paulsen (#56293218), Ball Turret Gunner: SSGT Herbert "Herb" M. Lafon (#56291564), Waist Gunner: SSGT Pat C. Vinzant, Tail Gunner: SSGT Neil A. Wagner (#56295254) (9 Crewmen KIA). Lost to mid-air collision with aircraft #43-37767, also of the 96 Bomb Group, over the North Sea and crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England. Missing Air Crew Report #12846.
See: https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/?s=Vinzant
From Fold3: "The 96th Bombardment Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945. On February 3, 1945 Staff Sergeant Pat C. Vinzant was the waist gunner on B-17 #44-8697 when the bomber was involved in a mid-air collision with another plane in its formation, B-17 #43-37767. They crashed off Southwold, Suffolk, England into the North Sea. All nine crew members were classified as missing at sea and were eventually declared dead.
Staff Sergeant Cruise Vinzant was reported to have been overseas since October 1944 and to have received an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England and was awarded a Purple Heart."
For more information on SSGT Vinzant click on the Fold3 link below then the Stories tab.
Inscription
S SGT 413 BOMB SQ 96 BOMB GP (H) ALABAMA
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