Eldon Lee Henningsen Sr
MilitaryNational Archives
Assigned to 710BS, 447BG, 8AF USAAF.
On 25-Aug-44 'Rowdy Rebel' B-17G 42-107229 was forced to ditch. Captain Eldon Henningsen was the pilot. They were heavily damaged while attacking Rechlin during WWII. They lost two engines to 88mm flak. With Capt. Henningsen quick thinking he nosed dived to put the fires out of the engines. After getting some control he found out the were badly damaged and order the crew to strip the B-17G of EVERYTHING they could. The radio, guns, ammo, parachutes and anything else to lighten the load. The crew made it to the coast of Holland and ditched her on huge swells in the very cold North Sea. Rescued by boat; British Coastal Forces Merseyside Branch. His crew safely returned to England. Capt. Henningsen received the Distinguished Flying Cross his second one.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (2OLC), American Campaign, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Later in his life he was assigned to the White House Special Air Missions for Air Force II, Vice President Nixon and Lyndon B Johnson 1956-1963. After retiring a few years later he flew for Bendix Corp., contracted to fly for the Apollo Space Missions. Testing the tracking system that gets installed into the capsule.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16031512 on enlistment
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Rowdy Rebel
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Brook, Adams County, WI | 22 May 1918 | Son of Alfred H and Dena H Henningsen. |
Enlisted |
Milwaukee, WI | 27 July 1942 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Died |
Fairfax County, VA | 2 September 2011 | |
Buried |
Arlington National Cemetery | 5 September 2011 | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia Section 8, Site 9964. |
Based |
Rattlesden | Assigned to 710BS, 447BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
NARA files verified ASN upon entry, officer number for DFC w/1 oak leaf cluster and AM w/2 oak leaf cluster. He earned at least one bronze service star on the EAME Campaign Medal and other awards and decorations as he continued service in the Air Force. His enlistment date is NARA verified. His birth and death dates are on his tombstone at ANC.
447th History / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia