Len Zerlin

Prepared by the Witnesses of War team

Leonard “Len” Zerlin was born on 10 December 1923 in Brooklyn, New York, into a Jewish family. As a boy, he learned about Nazi persecution through the Yiddish newspapers his grandfather read to him. Determined to fight, he volunteered for the United States Army Air Forces in 1942, overcoming initial medical objections related to a childhood operation.

After training, Zerlin deployed to England in 1943, serving as a flight engineer and top turret gunner aboard B-26 Marauder bombers. His service included the 322nd Bombardment Group, which operated under the Ninth Air Force. He completed 36 combat missions over German-held Europe, attacking targets in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

On 6 June 1944, Zerlin flew two missions supporting the Allied landings in Normandy. From his position aboard the bomber, he took part in the aerial operations intended to protect the troops landing below and weaken German resistance. These missions remained among his strongest memories of the war.

During another mission, an armed bomb became stuck in his aircraft’s bomb bay. With fellow crewmen holding his feet, Zerlin lowered himself into position and used a screwdriver to free it. Working thousands of feet above the ground, he removed the danger threatening the aircraft and its crew. His actions earned him the Silver Star. He was honorably discharged on 11 November 1945, having attained the rank of staff sergeant.

After the war, Zerlin worked in aerospace engineering and settled in Thousand Oaks, California, with his wife, Corinne, and their children. He died on 23 July 2026, aged 102.