Mr. Joe Lenze of Wadsworth, Ohio. Mr. Lenze will celebrate his 100th birthday on April 21, 2026.
Mr. Lenze is a World War II veteran and local business owner and celebrity who served honorably in the United States Army Tank Corps under General George S. Patton from 1944 to 1946. Joe was drafted into the Army in 1944. .He boarded the Queen Elizabeth ship, housing nearly 18,000 people, alongside the iconic General Patton. At the time, Joe didn’t even know who he was!
“You hear a lot about General Patton, but he was smart and he started the tank corps.”
Joe had traveled through Scotland, France, Belgium, and beyond. Joe’s outstanding work ethic was evident in his service in the Army, where he served as a First Class Private. He was awarded a Battle Star for his participation in the Battle of the Rhine.
