Diener, Thomas F., 1924-

Diener (1924-2009) was born in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) and graduated from North Division High School in 1943.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served on the ground crew at Luton Air Base (England) with the 8th Air Force, 2129 Engineering Battalion. After V-E Day, Diener was stationed at Wiesbaden Air Base and later in Berlin until his discharge in 1946. Following the war, he attended UW Extension in Milwaukee for two years and, in 1948, married his high school sweetheart. Diener then worked his way through Milwaukee State Teacher's College, with financial help from the G.I. Bill and his wife, who worked in an office. Diener graduated in 1950 and taught in Milwaukee until 1966 when he moved to Madison (Wisconsin) and became a junior high supervisor with the Department of Public Instruction. He retired in 1987 after thirty-seven years in the education field. Diener did not join any veterans organizations, but he kept in touch with Air Corps buddies Tom Johnson and Jerry Cutro; Diener had served as best man for each of them in their weddings in England in 1945.

From the description of Oral history interview with Thomas F. Diener [sound recording], 2004. (Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 610018631