In Memory of Air Force 1st Lt.
Ernest L. Evenson
Sinai, South Dakota
Brookings County
March 27, 1922 – February 9, 1944
Killed in Action over Burma
Ernest L. Evenson was born March 27, 1922, to Edward and Bertha Evenson, and raised as a farm boy at Sinai, South Dakota. Ernest joined the Air Force in 1942. “Ernie,” as he was called by friends and family, was a responsible, caring, Christian man, who, despite offers to become a flight instructor and stay in the States, chose to serve in an active war zone. Evenson, according to an instructor of his, “learned the tactics of flying quickly, interacted well with the other men and was well-respected.” In August of 1944, Evenson flew to Burma, hoping and praying that he would one day return to marry his fiancee.
Officially, Lt. Evenson and his crew were members of the Skull and Wings, the 490th Medium Bombardment Squadron, 10th Air Force, based in Myitkyina, Burma. Their unofficial, well–know squadron title was the famous “Burma Bridge Busters,” one of the most specialized squadrons in the world. Their missions lasted both day and night, and the objectives were to fly low, and, and where no obstacles, even lower. Dr. Don Evenson, nephew of Lt. Evenson, wrote
They had to dive into narrow valleys, skimming hilltops they could not see to knock out railroads, truck convoys and bridges used by the Japanese army. For a bomber with a 68-foot wing span of the B25, these operations demanded nerve-racking alertness and courage from the crews.
On February 9, 1945, the six-man crew of the lead bomber, carrying 1,000-pound bombs, was made up of a variety of American men with an average age of twenty-two. Under the leadership of 1st Lt. Evenson, their mission objective was to destroy Mong Pawn Bridge which would stop the flow of supplies to the Japanese army and would help stop the war. Part of the mission was to stop the Japanese from brutalizing the allied POWs, some of whom were forced to build the Railway of Death from Bangkok to Rangoon, killing, some say, a man for every railroad tie which was put into place.
The mission was a particularly difficult one, even though Lt. Evenson’s missions had all been daring and nve-racking, as was the nature of his squadron’s assignments. An officer later reported,
The bridge was practically hidden by trees making it difficult to line up for a bomb run. On his third run his wing hit a tree tearing off about six feet of the wing. As the plane tried to flip over he rightedit. That happened two or three times before it somersaulted, hittingthe ground and exploding.
Lt. Evenson’s family received a notice shortly after informing them that Ernest was missing in action. Ten months later an official War Department notice was dispatched that Lt. Evenson had indeed been killed in action. Both Evenson and his crew were buried with full military honors at Myitkyina, Burma, and then later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis.
Two brothers, four sisters, and his parents survived Lt. Ernest Evenson. A tent mate said about Lt. Evenson, “If there was ever a man who was ready to meet God, Ernie comes as close to it as anyone I have ever known. He was an inspiration to all of us who know [sic] him. He was always cool and collected which made him a good leader.”
We will never forget the service and sacrifice of brave leaders and war heroes such as Lt. Ernest Evenson.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Eric Skavang, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish, South Dakota, March 2, 2000. Information for this entry was provided by Donald Evenson, Ph.D., South Dakota State University, nephew of 1st Lt. Ernest L. Evenson.
