Robert J. Hanson, the last surviving crew member of the famed Memphis Belle B-17 bomber that flew combat missions over Europe during World War II, died Saturday of congestive heart failure. He was 85 and had suffered from heart problems, family members said.
Hanson, who was from Walla Walla, died in Albuquerque, N.M.
Hanson was the radio operator on the Memphis Belle, which flew 25 combat missions over Germany and France while escaping some close calls. Hanson told his family stories about a chase involving several German planes, the bomber’s tail being shot off and a nose dive that left the crew wondering if they should use their parachutes.
Hanson joined the military in 1941 and was assigned to the crew of the Memphis Belle. The bomber flew to England in September 1942 and departed on its first mission in November.
The adventures of the Belle were brought back to life by a 1990 film “Memphis Belle.
Associated Press
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