William “Bill” Hansen Jr. was born on September 9, 1920, in San Francisco County, California. He was married to Marion Hansen. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in March 1943 and trained as a bombardier. He served in the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Bombardier of B-24 #42-7614 nicknamed ''Buckeye" during World War II.

On January 7, 1944, the B-24 Liberator Buckeye participated in a strategic bombing mission against Ludwigshafen, Germany, a major center for the production of synthetic fuel and chemicals. Before reaching its target, the bomber sustained anti-aircraft damage when flak struck the cooling system of Engine No. 4. After completing the bombing run, the aircraft began its return flight to England, but Engine No. 4 was hit again and failed, forcing the Buckeye to leave the formation as it steadily lost speed and altitude. Shortly afterward, Engine No. 2 was also disabled by anti-aircraft fire, while ruptured fuel lines filled the aircraft with gasoline fumes, requiring the crew to wear their oxygen masks for protection. As the damaged bomber crossed occupied France, it passed over the Eiffel Tower before turning west, only to come under heavy German anti-aircraft fire again near Melun and Pringy. Additional flak destroyed the aircraft's radio, intercom, and compasses, wounded the flight engineer and radio operator, and left one engine ablaze. With the aircraft no longer controllable, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. The Buckeye crashed near Pringy, Seine-et-Marne, while its ten-man crew parachuted from the stricken aircraft. Two airmen were killed in the incident, three were wounded, and five escaped without injury. Of the eight survivors, five were captured. They became prisoners of war, while the remaining three successfully evaded capture with the assistance of the French Resistance and escape networks before eventually returning to Allied control.

2Lt Hansen successfully bailed out of the aircraft but was captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I in Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia. Following the war, Hansen concluded his military service with the rank of First Lieutenant. He later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and spent 25 years as an operating foreman in the underground electrical department of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in San Francisco. He died on June 8, 2013, and is now buried in the Happy Homestead Cemetery, South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, California, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, americanarchive.iwm.org.uk