Sergeant Harold A. Spatz

His mother, born in 1898 died in an accident with the family's car and a trolly car on 29 July 1927. By then Harold Spatz was about 6 years old. The whole Spatz family were taken to hospital after the accident. But Harold's mother died on the way to the hospital, her neck was broken.

On 3 July 1927 they left Lebo, Kansas for a tour of the Eastern States and to visit the mother and other relatives of Harold Spatz''s father in Pennsylvania. The Spatz family were driving in their new Buick Sedan car. They were on their way to Washington at a point where a trolly line crossed the highway when the accident occured. It was near a regular stop of the trolly car. The family's carr was completely demolished.

Robert Jr., Reba and Harold were seriously injured. They were cut severly and bruised. Their father Robert Spats was cut and bruised on the head and suffered from internal injuries. Harold's faher died in 1969.

Below you find an newspaper article about the marriage of the parents of Harold A. Spatz.

Robert, father of Harold Spatz.

Short of fuel, most of the planes crashed far short of the friendly Chinese airfields they were to find, ending up inside Japanese lines, and 8 of the 10 crewmen (2 men had died/drowned when their planes crashed) were captured by the Japanese on 19 April 1942 trying to reach free China. Initially the Japanese jailed the flyers, torturing them for information. Confined and poorly fed, the men contracted dysentery and beriberi. After interrogation, the men were sent to Tokyo, Japan for further interrogation, then returned to Shanghai, China where they were again imprisoned.

The crew of plane 16 after being captured by the Japanese.

Left to right DeShazer, Spatz in front. Rear row, Farrow, Hite and Barr.

On October 14, 1942, Japanese officers gave the crews a mock trial, and although never told of the charges against them, they were quickly found guilty and sentenced to death. Lt. Dean E. Hallmark, Lt. William G. Farrow, and Sgt. Spatz were selected for execution, while the Japanese gave “mercy” to the others by commuting their sentences to life in prison. The three men were executed in Shanghai’s Public Cemetery No. 1, in accordance with Japanese military tradition:

The crew members were taken to Shanghai's Public Cemetery No. 1 and told to kneel down in front of crosses. Hands were bound behind them, their eyes covered and a mark placed on their foreheads. A firing squad then executed all three soldiers. Their bodies were cremated and boxes of their ashes were taken to the International Funeral Home in Shanghai where they remained until the end of World War II. Harold's ashes were then returned to the States for interment in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawai.

In a letter, to his father I think, he wrote "I will say my last goodbey to you. My personal property consists of my clothes. If I have inherited anything since I become of age, I will give it to you. I want you to know that I love you - and God bless you." You find this text in a newspaper article below.

Crew 16 - all captured by the Japanese on 19 April 1942

Farrow

Spatz

Hite

DeShazer

Barr 

Crew 16

Executed : Farrow

Executed : Spatz

Returned to the US : Hite

Returned to the US  : DeShazer

Returned to the US  : Barr 

There is a "Harold "Skinny" Spatz Post #323 - Lebo, Kansas" - facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lebopost323

In 1997, a memorial stone was gifted to Lebo, Kansas by Harold Spatz's sister, Reba Jean Spatz Barnett, which was from her farm in Chase County, Kansas, and was prepared honoring six local service men. This memorial is standing in Lebo Memorial Garden at the center of town.

https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMM8A0_Lebo_Veterans_Memorial_Lebo_Ks

On November 10, 1999, Colonel John F. Gaughan II, Vice Commander of the Department of the Air Force, sent a letter to Harold's sister, Reba Jean Spatz Barnett stating: "It is my distinct pleasure to inform you of the intention of the United States Air Force to honor your brother, Harold A. Spatz, by dedicating an enlisted dormitory in his honor. The unquestionable courage displayed by your brother during the Doolittle Raid, and while held captive by the forces of Imperial Japan in 1942, deem it fitting to have his memory enshrined to inspire current and future Air Force members. With your concurrence, the United States Air Force will proceed with plans to dedicate building 340 at McConnell Air Force Base to honor your brother, Harold A. Spatz." Spatz Hall was dedicated in Harold's name at McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas on May 20, 2000. The military escorted Bob Spatz (Harold's brother) and his wife Caroline; Reba Jean Spatz Barnett (Harold's sister) and her husband Edwin, to the platform for the Dedication. Also present were General Charles Boyd, guest speaker; Lt. Col. Bob Hite, co­pilot of Harold's plane; Col. Fred Roggero, Commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing; and Lt. Henry A. Potter, navigator of Doolittle's plane.

Caroline Busboom Spatz donated land to the town of Lebo, Kansas for the HAROLD A. "SKINNY" SPATZ MEMORIAL PARK. Relatives of Harold attending the Dedication were Carolyn Spatz Davidson, Senator Jim Barnett, Edwin Barnett, Reba Jean Spatz Barnett, Caroline Busboom Spatz and Bob Spatz.

Copyright picture : Jeff Spatz

Main source and text taken from this article is: MEMORIES OF DOOLITTLE RAIDER SGT. HAROLD A SPATZ By Carolyn Spatz Davidson (Cousin of Harold Spatz, Engineer ­Gunner on Crew #16) - https://www.childrenofthedoolittleraiders.com/files/8116/2559/3785/spatz_story_by_Carolyn_Davidson.pdf

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