Charles C. Carpenter was born on December 19, 1917 in Fleming County, Kentucky. He was the son of Otto Orlie Carpenter and Myrtle Azalea Martin Carpenter. Charles served as a Captain and Co-Pilot on B-25 #43-3617, 22nd Bomber Squadron, 341st Bomber Group, Medium, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He was Killed in Action on May 29, 1945 when their plane was shot down in Vietnam and is now buried in the Hillcrest Memorial Park, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA. Charles was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.