Remembering Family History of Service, Sacrifice and Loss, While Protecting the Freedom of Our Nation
John and Gail Kautz are the widely revered and much-loved owners of Kautz Farms, Ironstone Vineyards and the famed Ironstone Winery, Museum and Amphitheater. They are icons in the community, innovators in the farming and agriculture industry and ardent supporters of United States military veterans. “We feel very strongly about supporting the efforts to honor our veterans,” said John, whose outlook reflects not only his and Gail’s heartfelt appreciation for the sacrifices of others, but also stems from their own family history of service, sacrifice and loss while protecting the freedom of our nation.
J ohn fondly recalls the older brother he lost, Fred Kautz, as well as his uncle, paratrooper Daniel Lei, both killed in action during World War II. Sociable and always popular, Fred attended Linden High School, where he lettered in track and basketball and was involved in a wide variety of clubs including FFA, Boy Scouts and his church youth group. After a brief stint studying agricultural education at College of the Pacific, Fred left school to help their father with his new farm. Duty called, however, and in July 1943 Fred joined the Naval Air Service.
Legacy of Service
After extensive specialized training in five different states, Fred was stationed at Clark Field in the Philippines as a tail turret gunner on a four-engine Consolidated Vultee B24 Liberator patrol bomber. He and his elite squadron carried out dangerous long-range missions, flying low to bomb enemy ships and shore installations. On April 30, 1945, his 22nd birthday, Fred volunteered to take the place of another tail turret gunner who had been badly burned. John was just 14 when he learned his brother’s reconnaissance flight over Hainan Island, China, and the Gulf of Tonkin had lost radio contact and not returned.
Fred was listed as MIA while John and his family endured an agonizing wait for answers. More than a year later, they attended a formal ceremony commemorating Fred and, in acknowledgment of his outstanding service, combat record and final mission, they were presented with his Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart and World War II Victory Medal. A military funeral was conducted later with full military honors.
Lawyer’s Naval Service
Gail feels very lucky that her father, a lawyer by training, was not sent into battle. Instead, Bauer Kramer, a Navy veteran of World War II, worked for the United States Office of Strategic Services, or OSS, a predecessor of the CIA. She remembers clearly being seven or eight years old and seeing her father walk up the front stairs to their Oakland, California home, as he called out, “I’ve joined the Navy!” The family moved to Pennsylvania for several years while he was stationed at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and, after World War II, when he had completed his service and was honorably discharged, they returned to their home in California. His work was crucial to the Nuremberg Trials, in which he wrote legal briefs for the conviction of war criminals.
Over the years, Gail made many efforts to learn more about her father’s unique military experience but came up mostly empty-handed. “I asked questions, gave him journals to write in and a tape recorder to share his stories. But that generation just didn’t discuss these things,” she said, arriving at the same conclusion as many families of World War II veterans. Now she urges people to share their stories, to write them down, if possible, for the benefit of others, and so that they won’t be lost forever.
Sacrifice and Resolution
To show their personal appreciation and publicly commemorate our nation’s veterans, the Kautzes commissioned two castings of bronze statues by Colorado sculptor and veteran John Kobald. Dedicated to all American veterans, living and dead, one memorial statue stands in Lodi’s Micke Grove Regional Park, and the other is the central focal point of the Ebbetts Pass Veterans Memorial in Murphys. Situated atop a 16-ton block of marble limestone, each sculpture stands over seven feet tall and is titled Sacrifice and Resolution.
By day the imposing figure of a uniformed American infantryman advancing against the enemy commands respect and, by night, it touches emotions in the warm glow of illumination. “I especially love seeing it all lit up at night,” Gail shared of the statue and the adjacent walls made of memorial bricks engraved with names of veterans. “We support them 100 percent and are very thankful for their service.” The Kautz family also provided the surrounding picnic area for visitors to enjoy. The veterans’ organization in Murphys continues to dedicate new bricks, which are no cost to the veteran; one is allowed per family and the veteran must live within the district.
Looking back, Gail feels a nostalgic appreciation for the days when patriotism ran high and there was a greater sense of unity across the nation, a shared sentiment that brought people together. Gail said emphatically, “It did bring people together. People were proud back then during that time. We were honestly proud of those who served. We still are. But I think maybe we took that pride and unity for granted then.” No wonder she and John have been so effective at creating unity in this modern time. Whether they are bringing people together for music, food and wine, or ensuring that those who served are honored and remembered, John and Gail Kautz have spent their lives contributing to the world around them and they continue in that heartfelt pursuit.
