World Connections

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Followed by Generations of Aviation 

 

 

 Hannah Friday Flyer!

Today was spent sharing holiday cheer, writing, and putting off cleaning up after the holiday magic of grandkids over the weekend. But at the end of the day, I managed to read my email and the letter that follows, touched my heart. Someone found the stories of Hannah Hunhoff and her family on my blog. Hannah comes from a line of aviators and flying is in her genes. 

Larry Hunhoff and Barbara Hunhoff (Joe's mom and dad) Joe, Cynthia and Hannah - See more at: http://karlenepetitt.blogspot.com/2011/05/history-of-aviators-continues.html#sthash.wKJK2du8.dpuf

EMAIL: 

 

I finally found, I have read on your blog the history of the family of Hannah Hunhoff. And I was interested by Mr ELMER SCHWANKL, Hannah's great great uncle who was killed in action while flying in a B17 in north of France In WW2. 

Elmer

"I am 59 years hold and I was born in 1956 in calais in north of France. I spent my childhood in a smal village close to Calais called Hervelinghem. It is near the cap gris nez and cap Blanc nez on the channel.

 

When I was young, as a teenager, I spent  holidays and many week ends at Hervelinghm. There, I often heard  farmers and  families speaking about the crash of a B17 in a field close the a small wood near by the village (Hervelinghem). In the 60' No information was available, not web site, no TV report Nothing on books, and nothing else to help to get more information about this event of the WW2.

Recently I started investigation on web sites about this B 17, and I also went back to Hervelinghem to meet an hold farmer Mr DENAVAULT.  Starting with him a conversation about this B17 crash. Excepted the precise place were the plane crashed ,This hold retired farmer has only few information about the crew. He told me "we were at war and the German very quickly set up the clearance of the wreak. The farmer was only able to tell me that some crew were killed ans some were caught prisoner by Germans. This farmer said also he had for many years some pieces of the wreck in a shed. Then I have made other investigations on web sites and I have found more details.

The name of the plane was "Pub Pet Dinah Might" ( why? and what does it means?) Plane took off from an USAF base at Framlingham east cost of UK. You still Can see the former air field today on google earth there is a former control tower converted today in a museum.

The mission was to bomb a launching ramp of V1. There were many in north of France. On the way back to UK, the B17 was shot down by the flak and it crashed at Hervelinghem. One of the crew was killed on board probably by a shell piece. As far as Hanna's great great uncle, he was also killed.

One the enclosed document found on a French, Site witch records many planes crashed in France in WW2. You will find the complete file of the "Pub Pet Dinah Might"  With also mention of Elmer Schwankl. He seems to be buried in Belgium and I guess the family has more information about the cemetery.

As Hannah, I do not forget the history of these young guys who came to UK in WW2 to fight in France against the Germans.
 

Hope Hannah and her family will be pleased to the see that even today, there are people which have the best respect For the foreign soldiers who gave their life here.

I wonder whether these information were known from Hannah and hope to have participate to give her some news about her great great uncle awaiting the pleasure to hear some news from your side (but most of them were on the blog!)"

2011! Where is Hannah today?

Enjoy the Journey!!

XO Karlene