Dana Carl Lentz

FIRST LIEUTENANT DANA CARL LENTZ, USAF
U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1959

Dana Carl Lentz grew up in a dedicated military household, the son of Colonel (Ret.) Emmert Carl Lentz, M.D., a career Air Force medical officer, and Anna Lorraine Ley Lentz. Growing up as a military dependent, Dana lived across the country and overseas, including stints where his father served in the Philippines. His younger brother, Gary Dean Lentz, would proudly follow in both Dana's and their father’s footsteps, graduating from the Air Force Academy in the Class of 1962 and serving a 25-year Air Force career before entering medical practice.

Deeply inspired by his father's service and possessing a sharp passion for aviation, Dana secured an appointment to the newly established United States Air Force Academy, joining the trailblazing pioneers of the Class of 1959. At the Academy, he was a proud member of Cadet Squadron 4 (CS-04), where he was known for his steady leadership, camaraderie, and determination to earn his silver pilot wings.

MILITARY SERVICE AND AVIATION CAREER

Following graduation in the historic summer of 1959, Second Lieutenant Lentz immediately entered Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Bainbridge Air Base in Georgia. Demonstrating an innate talent for flying and the patience required to mentor others, he was selected upon graduation from UPT to become an Instructor Pilot.

In 1960, he was assigned to the 3641st Pilot Training Squadron at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas. There, he pinned on first lieutenant bars and poured his energy into sharpening the tactical and flying skills of the Air Force's next wave of young aviators. He was highly regarded by his peers and students alike for his professionalism and mastery of the T-33 Shooting Star.

THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
On March 10, 1961, while performing duties away from his home station, Dana and fellow Class of 1959 graduate First Lieutenant Melvin J. Merz were tragically killed in a T-33 aircraft accident at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The loss of these two vibrant, young officers sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Class of 1959, marking one of the earliest operational losses of their class.

First Lieutenant Lentz gave his life in the line of duty, epitomizing the Academy's core values and leaving behind a legacy of devotion to his country, his family, and the skies he loved to fly.

EDUCATION
United States Air Force Academy Bachelor of Science 1959
Air Training Command Undergraduate Pilot Training (Bainbridge AB) 1959–1960
Air Training Command Pilot Instructor Training 1960

SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS
Student Pilot Bainbridge Air Base, GA 1959–1960
Instructor Pilot 3641st Pilot Training Squadron, Laredo AFB, TX 1960–1961

MEDALS AND AWARDS
National Defense Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award