A letter from Walter Cronkite: Found at EG Historical Museum

A true treasure was recently discovered at the Eagle Grove Historical Museum. A letter to N. A. Joberg from Watler Cronkite in regards to the death of 1939 Eagle Grove High School graduate Harold R. Christensen, a Lieutenant of the Army Air Corp (now called the Air Force).

Christensen flew a B-17 bomber in WWII and had served his country for one year and three months before being shot down in a raid over Germany in October of 1943. Family members Richard Christensen (nephew), Mary Ellen Chirstensen (sister-in-law who was married to Harold’s brother Stub), Larry Christensen (nephew), Logan Christensen (great-nephew), and Lillian Christensen (sister-inlaw) who were all gathered at the EG Historical Museum in his honor recently talked of how on that fateful day Christensen struggled to get his crew home safely. They had been hit and one of the engines went down.

Reports say he most likely could have made it safely to Switzerland, but chose to go back “home” to England knowing that if they landed in Switzerland they would become prisoners of war. As they flew low over the tree tops with the failed engine, someone on the ground shot at them, hitting Christensen. Amazingly, he was still able to pilot the plane home to safety, arriving only a few feet above the water, in poor visibility, an engine on fire, one flat tire, and only minutes of fuel remaining - but saving his crew members. Unfortunately, Christensen died in the hospital the next day, Oct. 15, 1943, from his gun shot wounds.

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