Lieutenant Enrique “Henry” Provencio

Air Medal

Enrique Provencio was born November 26, 1922 to Mr and Mrs Nemicio Provencio of Anthony NM. He was raised on his parent’s farm and graduated from Anthony HS in 1939. The next fall he enrolled at NMAMC to study engineering. He attended for three years until departing school to join the USAAF. He attended pilot training in Arizona and California where he was qualified to fly P-38 Lightning fighters. In February of 1944 he was shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater and assigned to the 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group; considered by many to be the best fighter unit of the entire war. The squadron commander was Major Thomas McGuire, the highest scoring ace in the USAAF, who would be killed in action approximately two weeks following the death of Lt Provencio. Lt Provencio began flying combat missions out of Nasdab New Guinea, eventually moving with his squadron to Leyte Philippines. On Christmas Day, December 25, 1944, after 11 months in combat conditions, Lt Provencio took off from Dulag air field in P-38 #44-24889 as part of a 15 ship flight assigned to escort duty for B-24’s assigned to attack Mabalcat Air Field on Luzon Island near what was formerly known as Clark Field. While over the target, the fighters were engaged by 20 Japanese fighters. Lt Provencio was lost at some point in the ensuing aerial combat. There were no witnesses or accounts of exactly what happened in the course of the combat. His was one of three US fighters lost in the exchange. Following the war, the wreckage of his aircraft was located and his remains were recovered. Today he is buried at Ft Bliss national cemetery. Lt Enrique “Henry” Provencio was 22 years of age at the time of his death in the service of his nation.