Kinzer, Edward Blaine, ENS

Born in Rock, W. Va., 22 August 1917, Edward Blaine Kinzer enlisted in the Naval Reserve 26 February 1941. He was appointed an Aviation Cadet on 3 April and commissioned Ensign on 20 October. On 12 November 1941, he was assigned to Scouting Squadron 5 on board USS Yorktown (CV-5). He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism and extreme disregard of his own personal safety during the Battle of Coral Sea. This aggressive and skillful pilot contributed materially to the sinking or damaging of eight enemy vessels in Tulagi Harbor on 4 May 1942 and the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho. On 8 May, while on antitorpedo plane patrol, he died while fiercely engaging "the continued attack of enemy bombing and torpedo planes and their fighter support."

NAMESAKE

USS KINZER (APD 91)

USS KINZER (APD-91) was launched as DE-232 on 9 December 1943 by Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.; sponsored by Mrs. Charles E. Kinzer, mother of Ens. Kinzer; reclassified as APD-91 on 17 July 1944, converted to a high speed transport; and commissioned on 1 November 1944, Lt. Richard C. Young, USNR, in command.