Charles Carpenter

Charles Marston "Bazooka Charlie" Carpenter (August 29, 1912 – March 22, 1966) was a United States Army officer and army observation pilot who served in World War II. He is best known for destroying several enemy armored vehicles in his bazooka-equipped L-4 Grasshopper light observation aircraft.

Early life Carpenter was born in rural Illinois, one of six siblings: three boys and three girls. Carpenter grew up in Reynolds, near the town of Edgington, Illinois. He was educated – on scholarships – at the Roosevelt Military Academy, in Aledo, Illinois and at Centre College, in Danville, Kentucky.

World War II service Upon arriving in France in 1944, Carpenter was assigned an L-4 Grasshopper for artillery spotter role and reconnaissance missions. Assuming a pilot and no radio aboard, the L-4H had a remaining cargo or passenger weight capacity of approximately . The additional weight of radio and radio operator often exceeded this limit. Inspired by other L-4 pilots who had installed bazookas as anti-tank armament on their planes, Carpenter added bazooka launchers to his plane as well.

Within a few weeks, on September 20, 1944, during the Battle of Arracourt, Carpenter was credited with knocking out a German armored car and four tanks.

After destroying his fifth enemy tank, Carpenter told a Stars and Stripes correspondent that the "word must be getting around to watch out for Cubs with bazookas on them. Every time I show up now they shoot with everything they have. They never used to bother Cubs. Bazookas must be bothering them a bit."

By war's end, Major Carpenter had destroyed or disabled several German armored cars and tanks (he was officially credited with six tanks destroyed).

Rosie the Rocketer In October 2017, the L-4H that Carpenter flew in World War II – s/n 43-30426 – was identified in the collections of the Austrian Aviation Museum at Graz Airport. It was acquired by the Collings Foundation and returned to its World War II appearance, by a restorer in La Pine, Oregon. The restoration was reported as complete on July 4, 2020 and the aircraft is now on public display, at the Collings Foundation's American Heritage Museum.