Title: Howard B. Christenson Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1942-2001

Creator:

• Christenson, Howard B.

Call Number: River Falls Mss ES; PH River Falls Mss ES

Quantity: 0.2 c.f. (1 archives box) and 3 photographs

Repository:

Housed at the University Archives and Area Research Center, Chalmer Davee Library, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, ; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-River Falls, Chalmer Davee Library / River Falls Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Military records and memoirs of Howard Christenson from Spring Valley (Wis.) who served during World War II as a pilot in the 17th Bomb Group of the 37th Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force; including documentation of his training, individual flights, promotions, transfers, reserve service, and awards. Also included are his memoirs of his wartime experience as well as those of Thomas Alton, a close friend of Christenson's from the same combat group and a fellow Wisconsin native. Additionally, there are articles on the history of the plane Christenson flew, the B-26 Marauder, and the history of the 37th Squadron. Photographs show Christenson's flight class at Rankin Aeronautical Academy and combat duty in the Mediterranean.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-rf00es

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Howard Christenson, from Spring Valley, Wisconsin, volunteered for military service following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force pilot training program in 1942 and was trained at the Rankin Aeronautical Academy at Tulare, California. After further training in Florida, Christenson was assigned to the 17th Bomb Group based in Morocco, piloting a B-26 bomber. He completed 39 successful missions striking at targets in Italy between 1943 and 1944, earning eight air medals, a Presidential Unit Citation, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Howard B. Christenson, 2002.

Processing Information

Processed by Nicholas Wolf, August 2003.

River Falls Mss ES Box   1 Folder   1	37th Squad/17th Bomb Group history, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	37th Squad/17th Bomb Group reunions, 1978-1980
Box   1 Folder   3	B-26 Marauder history, 1984-1998
Box   1 Folder   4	Individual flight records, 1942-1953
	Memoirs
Box   1 Folder   5	Howard Christenson, undated
Box   1 Folder   6	Thomas Alton, undated
Box   1 Folder   7	Non-combat military service, 1944-1953
Box   1 Folder   8	Pilot's flight log, 1942-1944
Box   1 Folder   9	Promotions, awards, and decorations, 1943-1947, 1998
Box   1 Folder   10	Rankin flight school, 1942, 1997, and 2001
Box   1 Folder   11	Reservist, transfer, and discharge papers, 1944-1959
Box   1 Folder   12	Training and flight school-Arizona, California, and Florida, 1942-1943
	Photographs of Christenson's class at Rankin academy and duty in the Mediterranean, 1942-1943
Box   1 Folder   13	Photocopies
PH River Falls Mss ES	Originals