1st Lt Vell Ardel Hansard Jr

Pilot assigned to the 600th Bomb Squadron / 398th Bomb Group

O-764004 / 18077965

Vell was born on November 7, 1923 in Hedley, Donley, Texas, the youngest of six children, to Vell Sr and Pearl (Luther). His father’s occupation according to the 1930 census, was a Baptist Minister. He had two brothers, Wayne and TJ (Thomas James) and three sisters, Delia, Marguerite, and Beatrice.

After graduating from Hedley High School, he went on to study at John Tarleton College in Stephenville Texas, which is described as an agricultural college. Boys who attended wore uniforms.

Enlistment took place at Lubbock, Texas on September 9, 1942 and he entered the Air Corps on February 13, 1943.

He attended two engine pilot school at Stockton Field in California, and did his primary flight training at Tulare, also in California. Basic flight training took place at Lemoore, California, with pilot transition taking place at Hobbs Army Air Field. He was commissioned at Stockton Field on January 7, 1944.

Vell married Ida Mae Robertson on February 12, 1944. His wife was pregnant with their first child, when he left his homeland to join the rest of the 600th bomb squadron at Station 131 Nuthampstead in Hertfordshire.

Lt Hansard’s crew number #5042 was originally made up of the following crew members.

Lt Robert L Davis – Co Pilot

Lt John D Whisman – Bombardier

Cpl Robert L Bittner - Engineer

Cpl Robert Cantwell – Radio Operator

Cpl Kenneth Hesterley – Armour Gunner

Pfc Joseph J Matelena – Career Gunner

Cpl Willie C Colclough – Upper Gunner

Cpl Edward F Briskie – Tail Gunner

398th records for August 1944 show Lt Hansard’s crew consisted of the following men. Lt Davis, Lt Baker (Navigator), Cpl Cantwell, Cpl James Fowler, Cpl William Lake, Cpl Colclough, Cpl Briskie, and Cpl Hesterley. For some unknown on his bombardier was taken from his crew before leaving for England, along with Corporals Matelena and Bittner.

According to Lt Baker’s diary, the crew came over to England on a ship. They sailed on July 7 and arrived in Liverpool on August 8. They then were transferred to Yarnfield (Stone) in Staffordshire on August 9. They left there on August 12 and arrived at Bovington on the same day. The crew left Bovington on August 27 and arrived at on the same day. (Authors note – Lt Baker may have spelt Bovington incorrectly. There is a Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, which was built in 1941-1942 as a bomber station, but was never developed fully as it did not have the required 2000 yard runway. It was used by the USAAF as a operational training base.)

He flew missions in September on 8, 9, 10, 12, 19, 26, 27 and 28. October’s missions took place on 2, 5, 7, 9, 14, 17, 22, 26 and 30. In November, he took his crew on missions on 2, 8, 10. His last mission would be on November 25.

Lt Hansard alongside Lt Davis and Lt Baker died making sure the rest of the crew had bailed out of the aircraft.

2Lt Hansard was promoted to 1Lt in September 1944.

Air medal awarded on September 29.

Oak leaf clusters awarded on October 13 and November 5.

Purple heart.

His daughter Sandra was born on December 7.

https://www.398th.org/History/Presentations/8thAFMuseum_HansardProp.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55903389/vell-ardell-hansard

https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/hansard%3Dv

https://www.fold3.com/image/29436435/42?terms=macr,15257

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project

(see www.storiesbehindthestars.org) This is a national effort of volunteers to

write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We

Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be

accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have

additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at

apollosaturn11@gmail.com

V A Hansard, Jr