Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HANSEN, Orville Andrew - Date of
birth
11 January 1925 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota -
Hometown
Minnesota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37580184 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Nose Gunner -
Unit
566th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
5 April 1945 - Place of
death
Between Brouwershaven and Zonnemaire, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 42 | 43 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Claus A. Hanson (father)
Sina Hanson (mother)
Hans Hanson (brother)
Anne Hanson (sister)
Arthur Hanson (brother)
Ingval Hanson (brother)
Margaret Hanson (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-50747 -
Data
Type: B-24M
Destination: Plauen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 1372
More information
Sgt Orville A. Hansen attended Denfield High School.At around 0830 the pilot radioed he was losing fuel and had to make a crash landing but he didn't mention the location. Shortly afterwards it was reported from Haamstede that an American plane had been shot down between Brouwershaven and Zonnemaire. Because of this location, it is believed that the fuel spill may have led to an explosion or that the B-24 was shot down by Flak near the coast, but a failed emergency landing is also possible.
The entire crew of nine men was killed. One of the crew members, Robert W. King and six, at that moment, unidentified men were initially buried at the militaire cemetery of Haamstede.
In September 2020 a memorial with nine sculptures was errected at the location of the crash.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com