Nationality American Rank Lieutenant Colonel Battles and wars World War II Nickname(s) Bazooka Charlie Name Charles Carpenter | Allegiance United States Role Lieutenant colonel Resting place Illinois Years of service 1942–1945 | |
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Occupation High-school history teacher Died 1966, Urbana, Illinois, United States | ||
Education Rock Island High School Service/branch United States Army | ||
Lt. Col. Charles Carpenter, aka Bazooka Charlie, (1913 – 1966) was a U.S. Army officer and army observation pilot who served in World War II. He is best remembered for destroying several enemy armored vehicles in his bazooka-equipped L-4 Grasshopper light observation aircraft.
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Early life and career
Carpenter was born and raised in the town of Edgington, Illinois. After graduation from college, Carpenter took a job teaching history.
World War II service
Carpenter joined the Army in 1942. After completing flight training and receiving his artillery liaison wings, Carpenter flew light observation aircraft such as the L-4 Grasshopper (Piper Cub) and the Stinson L-5 Sentinel.
Upon arriving in France in 1944, Carpenter was assigned an L-4 for artillery support and reconnaissance missions. With a 150-pound pilot and no radio aboard, the L-4H had a combined cargo and passenger weight capacity of approximately 232 pounds.
Inspired by other L-4 pilots who had installed bazookas as anti-tank armament on their planes, Carpenter added bazooka launchers to his plane as well.
Within a few weeks, Carpenter was credited with knocking out a German armored car and four tanks. Carpenter's plane was known as "Rosie the Rocketer", and his exploits were soon featured in numerous press accounts, including Stars and Stripes, the Associated Press, Popular Science, the New York Sun, and Liberty Magazine. Carpenter once told a reporter that his idea of fighting a war was to "attack, attack and then attack again."
After destroying his fifth enemy tank, Carpenter told a Stars and Stripes correspondent that the "word must be getting around to watch out for Cubs with bazookas on them. Every time I show up now they shoot with everything they have. They never used to bother Cubs. Bazookas must be bothering them a bit."
By war's end, Major Carpenter had destroyed or immobilized several German armored cars and tanks (he would be officially credited with six tanks destroyed). He was awarded several medals for his actions.
Postwar service
In 1945, Carpenter became seriously ill, and was honorably discharged from U.S. Army service in 1946. He returned to work as a history teacher at Urbana High School in Urbana, Illinois, where he worked until his death in 1966 at the age of 53. Lt. Col Carpenter's remains are buried at Edgington Cemetery, in Illinois.