Carl Genian
Carl Genian | |
|---|---|
| File:CarlGenian.jpg | |
| Born | September 21, 1921 |
| Died | May 10, 1967 (aged 45) |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | March 1943 – July 1945 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Service number | 19062995 |
| Battles/wars | World War II:
|
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross Soldier's Medal Air Medal (7) |
| Spouse(s) | Lucy Jandegian |
| Other work | Estimator for Gordon Ball Construction Company |
Carl Genian (September 21, 1921 – May 25, 1967) was a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He flew 66 combat missions and received commendations for his bombing targets across eight countries. His medals include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, and an Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters.
Life
Of Armenian descent, Genian was born in Yettem, California and was the oldest of four children. His father, Arshag Genian, was born in Tomarza, Ottoman Empire and became a rancher in Dinuba, California. His mother, Eliza (Mendikian) Genian, was born in Kayseri, Ottoman Empire. Carl had two sisters, Charlotte and Stella, and a younger brother, Sam.
Genian attended Dinuba High School, where he participated in basketball and played sousaphone and tuba in the band. After school, he worked on the family farm and enlisted as an aviation cadet. He attended the Army Air Force school for radio operations and mechanics at Scott Field, Illinois, and the school for bombardiers in San Angelo, Texas.
After his discharge from the Air Force in July 1945, he attended UC Berkeley and majored in civil engineering. He graduated in 1950. In 1946, he worked for Gordon Ball Construction Company in Danville, California as an estimator for building bridges and highways until his death on May 25, 1967.
Genian was married to Lucy Jandegian, born in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They had two children: Bill, born in 1950, and Christopher, born in 1962.
World War II
Genian received his commission as a second lieutenant in December 1943 and was posted overseas in April 1944. He was assigned as an aerial bombardier in the 340th Bombardment Group (M), a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber group, in the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater.
His unit attacked German defenses in southern France and helped push German forces out of Tunisia, Sicily, and central Italy. The 340th was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for outstanding support. Genian was awarded one of his six oak leaf clusters early in the spring of 1944.
In June 1944, Genian's unit helped break the stalemate on the Adolf Hitler Line below Rome. He was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious service on June 22, 1944. A month later, he received the Soldier's Medal for heroism when he jettisoned three 100-pound bombs that failed to release.
During one of his bombing runs over Germany, his plane was hit by German ground fire and forced to make an emergency landing at a Russian-controlled airstrip. He met with Soviet Armenian General Marshal Baghramyan, who ordered that every camp courtesy be given to the American airmen.
On October 12, 1944, Genian guided his pilot to the successful completion of a mission over Bologna, Italy, despite heavy German anti-aircraft fire. For these actions, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Military decorations
Genian's military decorations include:
|
Distinguished Flying Cross |
| File:Soldier's Medal ribbon.svg | Soldier's Medal |
| Air Medal with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster (seven awards) | |
| European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver and one bronze campaign star (six campaigns) | |
|
World War II Victory Medal |
  |
Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze oak leaf cluster (two awards) |
References
- Bibliography
- Armenian General Benevolent Union (1951). Armenian-American veterans of World War II. "Our Boys" Committee. Search this book on
- Demirjian, Richard N. (1996). Triumph and glory : Armenian World War II heroes. Moraga, Calif.: Ararat Heritage Publ. ISBN 9780962294518. Search this book on
This article "Carl Genian" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Carl Genian. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- 1921 births
- 1967 deaths
- American people of Armenian descent
- People from Fresno, California
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Soldier's Medal
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
- People from Dinuba, California
- People from Tulare County, California
- UC Berkeley College of Engineering alumni
