Harold R. CHRISTENSEN

CHRISTENSEN, CRONKITE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/15/2012 at 12:56:36

1921 -- October 15, 1943

Thursday November 11, 1943.

Bomber Crew Mourns Iowa Pilot's Death
By Walter Cronkite

A. BOMBER BASE IN ENGLAND (U.P.)

On an R.A.F. airdrome somewhere on the south coast the sun was shining. There was the smell of falling leaves in the air that wafted through the open windows of the buildings. Back home you'd call it "perfect football weather."

"Out on the edge of the field a Fortress squatted, a little apart from the perky Spitfires and Typhoons. She was sitting at a cockeyed angle."

Her right tire was wrapped in strips around the hub. Where her nose had been was shattered Plexiglas. The underslung radio antennae hung in frayed ends.

Tail Gunner

The ball turret hung limply on one side; the other side was accordion-pleated up into the fuselage. Sunlight penciled through cannon holes in the wings and tail.

Inside the ship, the wreckage followed the pattern cut outside by Nazi gunners. But inside there was blood. There was the blood of the ball turret man there in the waist where they'd hoisted him up and given him first aid. There was the blood of the tail gunner outside his cramped compartment where they'd dragged him out.

And in the nose was the blood of the pilot. Down to the nose he had crawled because he couldn't fly with one good arm – and the other had been shattered when German ack-ack burst alongside his window. He'd crawled there because he must have known he was dying and he wanted to be with his navigator, his school days pal.

Lieut. Harold Christensen was that pilot, a nice lad from Eagle Grove, Ia. He had a nice crew too, but I'm not giving their names because fighting men don't want to have it reported that they have emotions. But I have to tell you that every one of those three officers and six enlisted men was blubbering like a baby when they lifted Chris down from the nose and took him to the hospital, where he died a few hours later.

Offered Blood

The crew lugged away its personal equipment and left the big ship standing forlornly with the wounds she'd earned over Schweinfurt. None of them had gone back since. Some day they have to go back to the plane, but not yet.

Now they were up at the officer's club in their dirty, stained O.D.'s, slumped in chairs and trying to read with eyes that stung. One or two tried to play pool but gave it up. They'd offered their blood for Chris but now that was over.

The R.A.F. boys knew what they were going through. They'd been all through it and they knew it wasn't any use to say anything.

Maybe that's it. Maybe there isn't any use my saying anything about it now – but I can't help remembering it over all the recollections of blood, noise and battle – that forlorn old Fortress and those nine weeping boys.

Source: Paul Wilde
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Eagle Grove Mourns Death of Hero Airman

Eagle Grove—Lt. Harold Christensen, 23, who died in England Oct. 15, from injuries received in
a bombing attack over nazi Germany, was born in Eagle Grove; graduated from the local high school; attended junior college, and Iowa State college, previous to his enlistment. He was accepted for army service as an air cadet in January, 1942; received his early training on the west coast, and final training at the bomber base at Casper, Wyo. At the time he joined the army he had 160 flying hours to his credit, and had learned to fly while he was still in high school. His uncle, Harold Christensen, was the owner of a plane, and instructed his nephew. It is known that he was piloting one of the Flying Fortresses at the time he received his injuries. He had just recently been promoted to 1st lieutenant, and had completed 12 successful flights over Germany. He was the son of Holger Christensen of Eagle Grove, owner of Christensen Brothers garage in this city. Haakon Christensen, brother of Holger, has been in flying service in Alaska for a number of years, carrying miners and supplies between Fairbanks and the mines.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Mason City, Iowa
Monday, October 25, 1943