John P. (Paul) Lentz

“My favorite memories of my Uncle Paul are of collecting walnuts from the tree in his backyard. He lived in Burlington, N.C., and we would hold our family reunion there.

He researched our family history all the way back to four German brothers who immigrated to America in the 1700s, so most memories of him are him talking about our ancestors.

He was a woodcarver and I’ve got a few of his pieces in my house, along with two paintings of everyday Germans that Uncle Paul traded an artist for cigarettes during the war.”

– Julie Lentz Fogg ’02

John P. (Paul) Lentz, remembered by his niece, Julie Lentz Fogg

After the Battle of the Bulge, Lentz received the decoration he deserved.

Paul Lentz served in the U.S. Army in World War II as a 1st Lieutenant Field Artillery Forward Observer with the Infantry and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Awarded the Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation for his service, he was a lifetime member of Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of the Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. Read more about Paul Lentz’s role in the Battle of the Bulge in his own words.