Crew 24

61st Squadron
2nd Lt John Kovacevich

Radar Observer

I was in the military from mid-1942 until November 23, 1945. The main event for me was combat aircrew action as on of eleven on board a B-29 "Superfortress". I was the left waist aerial gunner in the Liberty Belle II. We participated in the Air Offensive - Japan from October 1944 to August 6, 1945. I was discharged as a Staff Sergeant from US Army Air Force and later took a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserve of the US Air Force.

I was discharged as a Lieutenant Colonel USAFR in 1977 at age 55.

My immediate past "job' was to sustain the Congressionally chartered Reserve Officers Association, Chapter 37, Orange County, CA. - as their President, from which I drew two Outstanding ROA member awards.

As for civilian work, while doing Reserve duties, I did a lengthy stint of service in the Central Intelligence Agency with the title of Intelligence Officer/Analyst and a brief time as an insurance adjuster - investigator. I racked up some teaching credentials courses at Akron University and Kent State. This led to a period of twenty years as a high school teacher, mostly in Orange County, California for Advanced and Intermediate Spanish.

Richard's display case made in Nov 1995.
No items found.

Lt Colonel Richard B. Vogenitz took his Final Flight on 31 August 2015.