44-28788         B25 (MACR 12158)

 

On 9 February 1945, a B-25J, “Nina,” # 44-28788, assigned to 10th Air Force, 341st Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Squadron, departed the airfield at Warazup, Burma, on a bombing mission of Kel-His-Mansam. It was seen by 2ndLt John A. Pennington, 0-718926, 2ndLt Duane H. Troup, 0-777270, and Cpl Robert F. Bishop, 42090299, to hit a tree or trees during its bomb run and crash at 1315 hours at coordinates 21º 56’ North & 97º 49’ East (Kehsi, Mansam, Burma). The crew, killed in the crash, were:

 

                                            Pilot                                         1stLt Ernest L. Evenson                       0-715170

                                            Co-Pilot                                   2ndLt Roswell M. Reno                       0-777236

                                            Navigator/Bombardier            2ndLt John W. Kenner                          0-709399

                                            Engineer-Gunner                     SSgt Kenneth C. McJury                      12139882

                                            Radio Operator-Gunner           Cpl Louis G. Martin                             15325990

                                            Armorer-Gunner                      Sgt Jerome J. Hohner                           32817392

 

Cpl. Bishop reported that he was tail gunner on #795 when # 788, the lead B-25, crashed. They were circling and waited for # 788 to make his last bomb run. He watched the B-25 come in at about 1,000’ AGL and descend to about 100-200’. He released 2 bombs, then his right wing hit a high tree on a small hill about 100 yards from the target. Part of the wing separated and the B-25 flipped over on its back and hit the ground and exploded. 2ndLt Pennington reported that he was the pilot of #795 and confirmed Cpl Bishop’s report. 2ndLt Troup reported he was co-pilot of # 795 and confirmed Bishop’s report.

The next-of-kin listed were:

                                                    Evenson          Edward P Evenson, F, RR # 3, Arlington, SD

                                                    Reno                Frances M Reno, M, 126 Cohassett St, Pittsburgh, PA

                                                    Kenner            Charles P Kenner, F, 3330 Allendale St, Pittsburgh, PA

                                                    McJury             Delores E McJury, W, c/o Layton Bowers, Wrights Corners, Rte 4, Lockport, NY

                                                    Hohner            Peter G Hohner, F, 87034 115th St, Richmond Hill, NY

                                                    Martin              Lan G Martin, F, 1018 Main St, Shelbyville, KY

EVENSON, ERNEST LERAY, First Lieutenant, # 0-715170, USAAF

 

Ernest L. Evenson was born in 1922 in South Dakota to Edward P. Evenson(1881-1959) and Bertha (Reisetter) Evenson (1885-1962). Siblings included George Oliver Evenson (1911-1972), Edna Blanche (Evenson) Barkley (1912-2003), Harold M. Evenson (1914-2012), Ruth Margaret (Evenson) Erickson (1916-2013), Hazel Louise Evenson (1917-2005), Esther Florence Evenson (1919-2002), Infant (1923), Alice I. Evenson (1925-1926).

 

After enlisting in the USAAF, he completed flight instruction through advanced schools and was multi-engine rated. He earned his commission and pilot wings. He was sent overseas to 10th Air Force and India. On 9 February 1945, a B-25J, “Nina,” # 44-28788, assigned to 10th Air Force, 341st Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Squadron, departed the airfield at Warazup, Burma, on a bombing mission of Kel-His-Mansam. It was seen by 2ndLt John A. Pennington, 0-718926, 2ndLt Duane H. Troup, 0-777270, and Cpl Robert F. Bishop, 42090299, to hit a tree or trees during its bomb run and crash at 1315 hours at coordinates 21º 56’ North & 97º 49’ East (Kehsi, Mansam, Burma).