Mr. Harry Walter Hoelzel

Born December 29, 1924, in Los Angeles, Calif. to Willy and Clara Hoelzel, Harry W. Hoelzel, 88, was called home to be with the Lord on Jan. 11, 2013.



Harry was an Army Air Corps pilot in World War II, who flew B-17s, the Flying Fortress. He flew over 20 missions, the last on May 13, 1945, Operation Revival, to pick up 32 American POWs from Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany, the best bunch of guys I ever met, he wrote in his notes from that mission. He loved flying, even owning a single-engine plane for a time.



A graduate of USC, he was an engineer with Pacific Bell. He was a faithful Christian and a loving father and grandfather. Since 1960, Harry called Whittier his home.



Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen, in 1981. He is survived by a son, Craig Hoelzel of Brea; daughter Lorraine Allred of Hacienda Heights; daughter Marlene Strege and her husband John of Fallbrook, California; daughter Trina Miller and her husband Howard of Whittier; grandchildren Aubrey and Travis Miller and Hannah Strege; and a brother, George Hoelzel, and his wife Pat; and sister-in-law Julie Hoelzel.



A Memorial service will be held Thursday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church in Whittier. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Wounded Warriors Project (WoundedWarriorsProject.org) or Trinity Lutheran Church in Whittier, California.