| Dutch Wenzel | |
| Fictional Character | |
| Days of Infamy POD: March, 1941; Relevant POD: December 7, 1941 | |
| Appearance(s): | Both volumes |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | United States |
| Date of Birth: | Late 19th century |
| Occupation: | Marine |
| Military Branch: | US Marine Corps (World War II) |
Dutch Wenzel was a platoon sergeant in the United States Marines. Like Les Dillon, Wenzel had turned down a promotion to gunnery sergeant for the opportunity to participate in the invasion to retake Hawaii from Japan in 1942. He and Dillon were aboard a troopship when the aborted invasion fleet set sail in June 1942. That invasion was defeated by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and so was forced to return to the U.S.
Wenzel and Dillon spent the remainder of the year training for the better planned and better prepared invasion launched in summer of 1943. They were some of the first boots on the northern beaches of Oahu. Wenzel saw plenty of action and suffered a minor wound that required hospitalization. When he returned to duty, he ran into Dillon after some of the fiercest fighting. Both were surprised that the other was alive.
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