Sgt Thage Christian Jensen
(1905 - 1952)
Profile
Sgt Thage C. Jensen was one of the Danish nationals serving in the USAAF during the Second World War. Born in Denmark in 1905, he signed off from the merchant fleet in 1924 and settled in the USA. He enlisted in October 1942 and served until October 1945.
Thage Christian Jensen—originally Tage Christian Jensen—was born in Lille Blovstrød on 17 October 1905, to labourer Jens Christian Jensen and Sofie Nikoline Jensen (née Harder).[1] In 1909, the family moved to Thyrsting near Skanderborg. At some point the family moved to Brede north of Copenhagen and, in 1914, they moved to Copenhagen itself. Jensen’s father worked as a labourer and for some time as a seaman.[2]
Jensen signed on as galley boy onboard the SS Hellig Olav in 3 October 1923 making the first trip cross the Atlantic in the following weeks. He made several crossings onboard in 1923-1924. Jensen deserted from SS Hellig Olav following arrival in New York on 1 August 1924.[3]
He eventually settled in New York, where he married Mary Curtin on 7 December 1929.[4] He lived in Brooklyn and was employed in a restaurant.[5] He married Mary Curtin on 7. December 1929.[6]
Jensen enlisted as a private (32559390) in the US Army in Newark, New Jersey, on 28 September 1942. He was not yet a citizen.[7] He entered service at the 1229th Reception Center, Fort Dix, New Jersey on 12 October 1942.[8]
He was attached to the HQ Squadron, Bombardment Department of the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. This school officially opened on 12 November 1942 as the location of the four tactical schools of the USAAF, one each for air defense, air service, air support and bombardment.[9]
In mid-1943, Jensen was on detached service on Tampon Springs, Florida, [10] and on 21 October 1943, he was transferred to 9th Bombardment Group. Jensen was holding the rank of sergeant and served as a carpenter.[11] He was later on detached service at Cedar Field, Florida, from where he was transferred to 1160th School Squadron (Special) on 26 February 1944. This unit was located at Montbrook, Florida. Jensen and the group he was transferred with remained on detached service at Cedar Field, however.[12] On 1 April 1944, he was part of a large group of enlisted men transferred in group to 903rd AAF Base Unit at Orlando, Florida.[13]
Jensen was released from service on 23 October 1945. He served in the Air Sea Detachment of 621st AAF Base Unit (AAF Tactical Center), Pinecastle, Florida, at the time.[14]
He had remarried Lydie A. Bryan on 4 October 1944. He was employed at a local poultry farm in East Brunswick, New Jersey. He died suddenly of a heart attack on 22 April 1952.[15]
Endnotes
[1] DNA: Parish register, Blovstrød.
[2] DNA: 1911, 1916 and 1921 Census of Denmark.
[3] Ancestry: New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957.
[4] Ancestry: New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937.
[5] Ancestry: 1930 United States Federal Census.
[6] Ancestry: New York, New York, Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937.
[7] Ancestry: U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946.
[8] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports from January 1940 - July 1943: Roll 2841 (1 of 2) (NAID: 442027467).
[9] Army Air Forces Tactical Center, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Air_Forces_Tactical_Center (accessed on 13 February 2024).
[10] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports from January 1940 - July 1943: Roll 497 (3 of 4) (NAID: 425944316).
[11] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports from October 1943: Roll 233 (2 of 4) (NAID: 452791492).
[12] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports from February 1944: Roll 385 (1 of 3) (NAID: 463756906).
[13] NARA: RG 64, Morning Reports, Morning Reports from April 1944: Roll 369 (2 of 3) (NAID: 468482023).
[14] Ancestry: U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985.
[15] Obituary for Thage Christian Jensen, The Central New Jersey Home News, 23 April 1952, p. 14.