YOUTHS JOIN ARMY AIR CORPS--Here is the first contingent of Sioux City's contribution to Uncle Sam's program of raising the United States air corps by 18,000 men in view of the present European conflict. The Journal's photographer snapped their pictures just before they scrambled aboard a bus Monday morning on the first lap of a journey to the Pacific coast where they will undergo training. These seven of 12 youths who have enlisted here in the last two weeks at the army recruiting office in the federal building, will make their first stop in Omaha. From there they will continue to Moffet field, Sunnyvale, Cal., for intensive aeronautic training before they are assigned to posts.
Reading from left to right in the front row are Ray V. Hensman, Neal E. Errickson, Dean M. Warwick and William E. Low, all of Sioux City. In the back row, left to right, are Robert J. Kelly of Remsen, Dwight H. Goff of Sioux City, Leo A. Mack of South Sioux City and Recruiting Sergeant Abbate.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, (latter half of year) 1939 (photograph included)
Seeks Army Wings
Headed toward army air corps wings, Ray V. Hensman, son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Hensman, 1221 Douglas Street, has completed basic flight training at Moffett field, California. He now is on his way to an advanced flying school to receive the final phase of flight training before becoming a staff sergeant-pilot in the air corps. On graduation, he will be awarded his wings as an enlisted pilot and assigned to a squadron for active duty.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, March 23, 1942 (photo included)
Parents of Sgt. Ray Van Hensman Get Purple Heart
The purple heart and a certificate of memorial have been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hensman, 1110 Douglas street, in recognition of the heroic death of their son, S. Sgt. Ray Van Hensman in the South Pacific theater of war on November 8, 1942.
Sgt. Hensman’s service for his country was brief but courageous, the records disclose. Almost immediately following his graduation from Central high school in 1939, he joined the air corps, and during the summer received training at various training fields in the Southwest. He went overseas in October, 1942, and served in the South Pacific as a pilot. It was reported that he had completed his mission and was returning to his base when his plane was shot down by the enemy. Sgt. Hensman was 21.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, February 14, 1945
Ray Van Hensman was born June 29, 1921 to James Albert and Hazel Marie Saunders Hensman. He died Nov. 8, 1942 and is memorialized at the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Taguig City, Philippines.
Sgt. Hensman served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 33rd Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group and was MIA/KIA and awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
