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<em>Leland O. Krug</em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>was born in Rochester, New York on October 3, 1913, the son of Oscar P. Krug and Anna Schmitt Krug. From earliest high school days, he had nursed the ambition to go to West Point. After a year at the University of Rochester, he received his appointment and entered in 1934.</p>
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Lee had little or no difficulty completing the four academic years at the Academy. He studied far less than the average cadet, but his excellent preparatory schooling and his own ability of rapid assimilation evidently was all that was necessary. His career there was relatively unspectacular except for the results of his efforts on the <i>Howitzer</i>. He was selected as Business Manager, and it was due to his handiwork (often to the detriment of his studies) that the 1937 and 1938 issues were so magnificent.</p>
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After graduation Krug set himself a new goal, that of graduating from Randolph and Kelly Fields, for the Air Corps offered him an additional challenge in the field of endeavor that he had selected for his life’s work. He successfully completed his flying training by graduating from Kelly Field in August 1939, and, with many of his classmates was reassigned to Randolph Field as an instructor. Here he remained until March 1942, serving from instructor to Asst. Group Commander, gaining invaluable experience and performing his duties so well that he was selected to command the Contract Flying School at Brady, Texas. Upon reversion to the status of primary training of this School in January 1943, Lee was reassigned to Randolph Field as Instrument Training Officer and later, as Asst. Air Inspector.</p>
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Although never anxious to study while at the Point, Krug sought every opportunity upon graduation to increase his technical and professional knowledge. He successfully completed the instructors’ course in Link Trainer while at Randolph. In 1943 he was graduated from the 15th General Staff Course at the Command and General Staff School, Ft. Leavenworth. This Staff Course was followed in November by the Air Force Staff Course in Washington, D. C., and then, in January of 1944, by the Command Course at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.</p>
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During these years promotions came rapidly. In the fall of 1943, Krug became a Lt. Col. in the United States Army Air Forces. Krug, like so many of his classmates who had been retained in the zone of Interior to prepare and gear our armies and air armadas for war, was anxious to utilize his own professional preparation in actual combat. He, however, was not permitted to serve his country in this capacity. He was assigned to Hq. 3rd Air Force in Tampa, Florida. He served there as Asst. Air Inspector and later as Chief of the Plans Division. Due to its nature, this latter job compensated to a certain extent for the disappointment he suffered in not being able to get into actual combat. He demonstrated such skill, enthusiasm and force, that his immediate superior, Colonel James H. Walsh, Director of Operations and Training, officially commended him:</p>
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“I desire to take official recognition of your pre-eminent performance as head of the Third Air Force Plans Division from August 1, 1944 to date. The ability of this air force to accept and excel at new assignments such as the Very Heavy Bombardment Training Program, Redeployment Program, and the Separation from the Service Program, is to a very large measure the result of the systematic and thoroughgoing approach you had developed for keeping constantly on tap a sharp knowledge of the facilities and sinews of the Third Air Force, as well as a logical method of launching their employment on new situations”.</p>
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Just before leaving this assignment (at his own request) he went on T.D.Y. for an Intelligence mission to Germany in May 1945, (in an attempt to get away from the Z.I. in order to Increase the possibility of a combat assignment), and he was at this time promoted to full Colonel. Upon completion of his mission, however, he was reassigned to Hq. 3rd Air Force and shortly thereafter to the 71st Air Service Group at Kahuku, Oahu, T.H. as Commanding Officer until the Group was demobilized. He was then sent to Barking Sands,Kauai, as Commanding Officer of the 541st Base, and later to Hq. 7th Air Force as Assistant Chief of Staff A-4.</p>
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A conference of A-4s was called to convene in Manila on July 20, 1946. Three other officers from the A-4 section accompanied him to the conference (among them, Lt. Colonel John Frank Foy, class of ‘37). A letter written from Manila on the 18th of July to his wife described the trip in part:</p>
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“The trip—Johnston Island—Kwajelein—Guam —Manila—was relatively uneventful. Bucket seats to Guam—plush seats to Manila. Elapsed time about 36-40 hours.</p>
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He was not impressed by Manila, for he wrote:</p>
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“After a cursory look it must be admitted that the place where all the ice cream envelopes and folders come from is somewhat short of paradise. It is strangely comparable to some of the dirtier sections of France. The foregoing is about all I can say about the city, since we have only passed through on our way to where we are billeted during a pouring rain and mud about 4 inches deep.</p>
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“Expect to check in with Hq. P.A.S.C. here today. De Marco (Colonel De Marco) and others are taking good care of us. Saw Johnson, L. E. of ‘38 so it will not be too bad!</p>
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“Will drop another line, but doubt whether it will get to you before we are back again. Conference starts Saturday for three days.”</p>
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This was destined to be his last letter. It was received the morning of July 30th. That night at 10 p.m. the wives were notified by Major General Thomas D. White, then Commanding General of 7th Air Force, that the men had been missing since July 25th aboard a B-17 enroute from Manila to Japan. Radio reports were scanty since a typhoon had hit the area in which they were believed to have gone down twenty-four hours after their disappearance. A quotation from a letter from Hq. A.A.F. Washington, D. C., dated 28 August 1946 best sums up what was known by that time of this flight.</p>
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“Information has been received indicating that Colonel Krug was a passenger on a B-17 (Flying Fortress) bomber which departed from Nichols Field, Manila, Philippines on an administrative mission to Kanoya, Kyushu, Japan on 25 July 1946. The report reveals that during this mission Colonel Krug’s plane departed from Nichols Field at 9:00 a.m. and arrived at Naha, Okinawa, at 2:30 p.m. The plane was cleared to proceed to Kanoya and at 3:00 p.m. a radio report from the aircraft gave its position as just west of Oklnoerabu Shlma, an island located seventy-five miles north of Okinawa. The plane was not contacted by radio again. At 4:54 p.m. a Navy plane, on patrol in that area, sighted the wreckage of an aircraft and green dye sea marker, just west of Amaml-O-Shima, about halfway between Naha, Okinawa and Kanoy, Japan. Positive identification of the wreckage was not made; however, the fact that its position was along the route which Colonel Krug’s aircraft was scheduled to fly, together with other circumstances, indicated that the wreckage was Colonel Krug’s plane.</p>
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“A search of the entire route by planes of the Fifth Air Force and First Air Division was instigated and continued until 4 August 1946, but the wreckage which had been previously sighted could not be located. Rescue parties were put ashore on Amami-O-Shima, Toku-No-Shima, Okinoerabu-Shima, and other islands to question the natives. Results of this land search are not presently known. </p>
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One piece of evidence turned up 2 August 1946—an olive-drab flight cap, made in England and bearing Luxembourg Colonel’s insignia. It had been found on the southern shore of the island of Amami-O-Shima by a native and turned over to the landing parties. It was sent to Hq. Fifth Air Force for possible identification and on to Hq. 7th Air Force on 26 August, where it was positively identified as that of Colonel Krug.</p>
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On January 24, 1947, having received no further reports about the missing men, the War Department regretfully concluded that all aboard had perished.</p>
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The following letters from General Thomas D. White and General Carl Spaatz, Commanding General, Army Air Forces, express opinions equally shared by Lee’s many friends and colleagues.</p>
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General White commented:</p>
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“Colonel Leland O. Krug was selected by me to be Base Commander at Barking Sands, Kauai, T. H., and subsequently as Assistant Chief of Staff, A-4, Seventh Air Force because of his proven ability to produce results. He carried on without fanfare, but with maximum efficiency and smoothness. His loss to the Seventh Air Force was a severe blow to our operational efficiency as well as a shock to his many friends and admirers”.</p>
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General Spaatz added:</p>
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“Colonel Krug was known for his loyalty and devotion to duty throughout his military career, and enjoyed an enviable reputation among associates. The memory of his courage, efficiency, and consideration for others, will be cherished by those he led. Because of his capability to execute each assignment in an excellent manner he was held in esteem by brother officers”.</p>
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Colonel Krug is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two children, Lan Eric and Karen Stephanie; his father, Oscar P. Krug; and sister, Irma J. Krug; all of Rochester, New York.</p>
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<em>—Fred M. Dean, ‘38 Colonel, A.C.</em></p>