In 2016 the remains of fighter pilot Loren Hintz and his plane were finally recovered, 71 years after he was shot down over Italy. Finding Loren is the documentary of a life cut short. Perhaps the greatest tragedy was that—having survived over 40 missions—he died in combat only weeks before World War II ended.
Finding Loren began under the guidance of the son the pilot never met, Marty Hintz, born a month after his death. Marty is a familiar name in Milwaukee. He came to town in 1967 as a reporter for the Milwaukee Sentinel and, after 1975, enjoyed a prolific career as a freelance writer. Among his more than 100 published books are several written with his wife, Pam Percy, including Food Lovers’ Guide to Wisconsin. Working alongside her, he was one half of the Shepherd Express’ popular “Boris and Doris” scene-making column. During his tenure as our travel writer, he was trapped for several days in the Caribbean because of 9/11.
Marty died last September. Finding Loren was completed by Percy, acting as producer and director, with help from film editor Claudia Looze.
Loren barely had time to get to know his wife, Gertie. They married during the war on an Army Air Force base in 1943 and after their honeymoon, saw each other only when he was on leave before he was sent overseas. Marty and his sister, Gretchen Hintz Wronka, are interviewed and recall the presence of their missing father as they grew up. His footlocker was preserved in the attic of their home and they often peered inside. The locker held not only uniforms but the poetry book he published, his diaries and his letters.
Photo via Finding Loren
Much of Finding Loren is built around his writings as read by Tony Wood. Actor Dion Graham (“The Wire”) narrates against a backdrop of archival footage, family photos and film shot in Italy during the search for his remains. The letters reveal a man with a poetic bent—he described flying his P-47 as “playing tag with the clouds”—who enjoyed adventure.
In his letters, he explains that he saw the war as the means to put “the world at peace.” About halting the spread of tyranny, he sounds a bit like the sort of man Spencer Tracy played in Hollywood “In my small way I’ve got to help stop it.”
Finding Loren debuts 1:30 p.m., Sept. 25 at the Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. The event is free but donations will be accepted. The doors open at 12:30 p.m.
