Eugene “Gene” Kiefer was born September 7, 1921 in Oberndorf, Germany, to Ernst and Berta (Gommeringer) Kiefer, moving to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the age of 5 in 1927. He grew up with a happy all-American childhood surrounded by friends and family attending Classen High School and the University of Oklahoma until World War II when he joined the fight against the country of his birth. Gene remained in military service after his adventures in France and retired as a Major from the U.S. Air Force after 39 years. He was a longtime member of Zion and Messiah Lutheran Churches in Oklahoma City and it was there that he made several lifelong friends, including Frederick Larwig and Richard Rahn who compiled and edited Gene’s memoirs into the book 1944.