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jinny
7/22/2001 8:44:20 PM | B-17G serial no 42-97869 MIA 16 Feb 45 to Gelsenkirchen, hit by heavy flak. 6 of 9 RTD but pilot's chute failed to open. Ernie was 22 years old. His parents kept in touch all their lives. His Mom died in 1994 at 95. She loved to have me come to visit because she said I was the only one alive who knew him. His last words to me, "Ill Be Seeing You," but he didn't make it back. He held his ship so that most of the crew could bail. He was on his 29th mission. I will never forget him.
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Don Rapp
7/24/2001 1:41:04 AM | My uncle Alonzo Karcher was a waist gunner in Lt Ernest Arden Hansen's last fight. My uncle bailed out, landed in a tree, and later taken POW. Another individual, Jim Morrison, the togglier, also on this flight, bailed out and taken POW. I have the statitics on the other crew members. All suvived except the ball turret gunner and the radio operator who went down with the aircraft along with Ernie whose chute did not open. I have a copy of a letter written to Jim Morrison, by Ernie's mother, dated March, 5, 1946. Mr. Morrison is still alive, and through an extradinary set of circimstances we now know a lot about this last fight, and are in contact with people in Holland who came upon the crash site shortly after the plane crashed. The young boy who came upon the crash still lives as does the lady who helped my uncle from the tree. She is 90 years old and we have pictures of her taken just months ago. This is all a very facinating story. My uncle died about ten years ago, but we know more today about this fatefull day then my uncle ever spoke about, thanks to Jim Morrison and the people in Holland. Please identify yourself as I have a lot of information that you might be interested in. The reason I am on this web site is because Jim, who I, and my sister correspond with regularly, sent me a copy of the 401st Bomb Group Association quarterly publication. MY uncle Alonzo is a brother to my mother who still lives. There is a lot of information available that I do not have time nor space to go into. Would you be Ernie's wife or other close associate?
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Sam & Juanita Wyman
7/24/2001 10:45:10 AM | Jinny,
My brother-in-law, Don Rapp, told me(I'm Sam) he had replied to a query about Lt. Ernest Hansen. My wife (Juanita) is Don's sister and niece of Alonzo Karcher who was a crew member of Hansen's. As Don stated, this is an incredible story of how we found all this information since Alonzo's (we called him Lonnie) death. As Don told you, we have a lot of info to share and especially the visit we had with surviving crew member Jim Morrison.
This whole experience began with my visit to the airfield at Deenethorpe, England where the 401st Bomb Group flew out of during the war. I was stationed near there a year ago during a duty tour with the U.S. Navy. The airfeld has not been used since the war but still lies in the middle of a farmer's field. You can imagine the size of the field as the runway is approximatley 1.5 miles long. Juanita and I were there again in March 2001 but didn't get to see the airfield because of the "hoof and mouth" quarantine. There is a monument erected by the main road in tribute to the 401st Bomb Group.
I also have in my possession a copy of a newspaper article from Fortuna, CA that details a prior mission of the crew in which the plane was severely damaged. As Don told you in his note, we will try to share other info with you. We think it would be especially interesting to write to surviving relatives as memories of ones who gave their lives for our freedom should not be forgotten.
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jinny
7/24/2001 12:28:59 PM | Thank you Don, Sam @ Juanita. I was waiting for Ernie but we were not married. I think he thought he might not get back. I was 18 years old. I met him his first leave from Primary at Cal-Aero and accompanied Ernie and his parents to Fortuna after he got his wings. I am still in touch with his sister's granddaughter who lives in Petaluma. I have Jim's letter also and all the copies of his research.I live in San Clemente, CA. I married and am now widowed. I love reading about the 401st. E-mail me your address.
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Sam & Juanita Wyman
7/24/2001 12:44:54 PM | Thanks for your quick reply. You can write to us at my email address which is: jwyman47@hotmail.com Sam's email is swyman47@hotmail.com I believe Don sent you his. This has been an interesting chain of events that just keeps on going. Are you also writing to Jim? He and his wife are wonderful people. I will write more later. Send your email address as this would be the best way to correspond.
Juanita
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Joshua Greenberg
2/17/2003 5:13:50 PM | Hello Mr. Rapp,
My name is Joshua and I am the son of Morton Greenberg, who was the navigator on the flight in your discussion.
My father died today; ironically, almost 58 years to the day that they were shot down.
His wife showed me some of his documents and that is how I came to find out exactly what group and squadron he belonged to.
While he didn't talk very much in detail I was able to get some sense of the story. I'd like very much to hear more.
If you would, please respond to this email address if you get a moment.
Thanks,
Joshua
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Joe Del Torto
2/4/2004 3:07:02 PM | I am the nephew of Joseph V. Del Torto, the Radio Operator of Lt. E.A. Hensen's crew. I know my uncle didn't make it out of the plane. Any other info on him would be greatly appreciated. I don't have much to go on. My Father and Grandmother never talked about him to me at all. All I have is his purple heart award. I would really like to know more about my uncle.
Thank you
Joe Del Torto
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Jinny
6/17/2004 11:11:45 AM | I have reports of this plane and photo of crew. I also have letters of years of contact with his mother, now deceased. I also have reports from the Netherlands of where the plane went down, who survived, etc. please send me your address or phone number.
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