| |
Thomas
Lenz
by Murray Montgomery |  |
They
were normal high school boys – three young friends and classmates at Moulton High
School. Even before they graduated in 1966, Calvin Albrecht, Marvin Zatopek, and
Thomas “Tommy” Lenz, knew what they were going to do – the three friends were
committed to serving their country in the armed forces.
Marvin and Tommy
joined the Marine Corps, on the buddy plan, while Calvin opted for the Navy. All
three of the high-school pals saw action in Vietnam – two survived and one, Tommy
Lenz, would die a month after his 21st birthday and just a week before he was
due to come home. He had volunteered to go on a mission to replace a man who was
ill and as a result, the young Marine from Moulton was killed when his helicopter
landed on a mine. |
| | Thomas
Lenz
Photo courtesy Murray Montgomery |
It came as no surprise to those who knew Tommy that he would volunteer for a dangerous
mission. When he was on his senior trip to South Padre Island, Lenz along with
Albrecht and several other Moulton kids were involved in saving some people from
drowning. It was part of Tommy’s character to help others. So when the call came
for a volunteer to go help fellow soldiers, it was only natural for him to respond.
Calvin Albrecht, who is district clerk for Lavaca County, recently shared some
memories of his friend. He remembers Tommy as “easy going,” an average student,
but not interested in sports or the like. He enjoyed hunting squirrels and rabbits;
he also liked to go fishing. And just like most teenage boys, he was interested
in girls. “Tommy was just a regular good ol’ boy,” Albrecht said.
Calvin
said that he doesn’t recall that Tommy ever owned an automobile, but the two friends
did like to ride around in a car belonging to Tommy’s mom. “Our favorite song
was ‘Pop-a-top Again’ and we would drink a cold beer while listening to the radio,”
said Albrecht.
Tommy’s humor was evident in a letter he wrote to Mrs. Albrecht,
after she had shipped him some homemade cookies. He described how the other soldiers
were hinting that they would like to sample the goodies and his reply to them.
“At first I told them they could smell the wrapper when I was through,” wrote
Tommy, “but when I saw the look of a lynch mob come upon their faces, I decided
differently real quick.”
Calvin’s mother, Mrs. Adlea Albrecht and Tommy’s
mother, Mrs. Elvira Schneider, were best friends. “My mom was visiting Tommy’s
mom when the two Marines came to the house to tell her he had been killed,” Calvin
said.
Calvin and Tommy spent their high school years living in Moulton,
while their friend Marvin Zatopek lived in the country. Upon graduation from high
school all three were on their way to begin their military service. Lenz and Zatopek
headed for basic training with the Marines while young Albrecht would soon go
to sea with the Navy. All of them probably suspected that they would soon join
the many other young Americans who were fighting and dying in Vietnam.
Tommy Lenz arrived in Vietnam on May 1, 1968, and was assigned as an aerial gunner
on a CH-46 helicopter. He was a member of the 161st Squadron, flying combat support
missions. Before he was killed on April 22, 1969, Lenz had already seen his share
of combat. In September of 1968, he sustained minor injuries when his helicopter
was shot down. Then on November 13, 1968, he was wounded again when shrapnel hit
his aircraft. He was awarded the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement and the
Purple Heart for his involvement in those actions.
After Tommy was killed,
his mother received a letter from his commanding officer describing his last flight.
Lt. Col. D.L. Elam said that Tommy died in the vicinity of Vandergrift Combat
Base while flying on a helicopter assigned to an Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Troop Lift. According to Elam, the landing zone was sixteen miles west of Suang
Tri. “We all knew before the Suang flight departed Quang Tri that the mission
would be a difficult one since there were known to be numerous enemy in the immediate
vicinity of the landing zone,” wrote Elam. “The aircraft that Thomas was flying
in was the lead aircraft in a flight of six CH-46’s.
“On the initial wave
as the lead aircraft touched down in the zone a mine detonated, completely destroying
the aircraft.” Lt. Col. Elam ended his letter by saying that medical personnel
had inspected Tommy’s body and concluded that he had died instantly with no suffering.
Elam also said that young Lenz was a man to be proud of and that he was an outstanding
Marine.
The citizens of Moulton did everything they could to honor their
fallen warrior. His body arrived at the San Antonio airport accompanied by Honor
Guard Lance Cpl. Thomas L. Mankins. Tommy’s high school friend Marvin Zatopek,
who had joined the Marines with him, was there to meet the honor guard. Zatopek,
Taylor Biehunko, Leslie Grieve, and Father Robert Schmidt, escorted the remains
back to Moulton. Tommy Lenz’ other good friend, Calvin Albrecht, didn’t even know
his friend had been killed until after the funeral. Albrecht was still in Vietnam
serving on a ship providing inshore fire support against enemy positions.
All the business places in the city closed for Tommy’s funeral and the school
closed for the day as well; and although he was Lutheran, the services were held
at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church – not a common occurrence, but permission was
granted by Father Schmidt to accommodate the many people who wished to attend.
Rev. Eaisey, pastor of the Warrenton Lutheran Church, delivered the sermon. He
was assisted by Father Schmidt.
Lance Cpl. Thomas Wayne Lenz was buried,
with full military honors, in the Florida Cemetery at Warrenton, Texas – his name,
along with that of five other Lavaca County soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice,
is inscribed on the Vietnam War Memorial at Hallettsville.
To this day
it is an emotional thing for Calvin Albrecht to talk about Tommy Lenz. The spring
of the year always brings back those bad memories about when his friend was killed
and the last time he saw him alive. Albrecht recalls that the day he received
word about Tommy’s death, his ship was called in to provide inshore fire support
to ambush an enemy convoy. The ship launched its rockets and some 40 enemy troops
were killed. That event, although it didn’t ease his hurt, made him feel that
he had a part in avenging the loss of his friend.
Although nearly 36 years
have past since Tommy Lenz was killed, the memories of his Moulton classmate will
remain with Calvin forever and he occasionally speculates on how things might
have been. “For some reason, I feel like my life would somehow be different if
he hadn’t got killed – I don’t know,” said Albrecht. | |
|
