An expert pilot was flying yet there was nothing Orville Eitzen or the pilot could do in the few moments before the plane struggled, spun, and crashed.

The second of four children, Orville George Hans Eitzen was born on April 5, 1917 in Coin, Iowa. His parents, William Eitzen and Settie E. Meyers Eitzen, and his older brother, Vincent Jacob Eitzen, welcomed him into their home.[i]

In 1920, the little family was living in a rental home in Washington, Iowa and his dad, William, was farming. Orville had a new little brother the year before, Forrest Harry Eitzen, born 1919.[ii] Then in 1922, the three brothers finally got a sister, June Irene Ann Eitzen Trujillo.

In 1930, the four Eitzen children are all in school. His mother and father are still running a farm.[iii]

Orville finishes his four years of high school around 1935 and then goes to work as a mechanic repairing motor vehicles.[iv]

As the war years arrive, 1940 sees the family now owns their home. William, 72, is still farming as is Forest. At home are Vincent and Forrest, who having finished high school and June, who is still in school. [v]

HIS MILITARY LIFE

Orville decided to enlist and did so on July 22, 1941 traveling 115 miles to Des Moines to do so. He joins the Army Air Corp, service number 17029289.[vi]

On September 8, 1942, Orville married Liva Louise Bartles, 20, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shenandoah, Iowa.[vii] Liva had lived in Fremont, Iowa with her parents and siblings. She’d graduated from high school and had been employed as a housekeeper.

They traveled to Denison, Texas to live where Orville was stationed at Perrin Field.[viii] He served in the 2537th AAFBU, CPS(B) at Perrin Field in Sherman, Texas.

HIS LAST DAY

On Orville’s last day, he prepared to fly with WASP Pilot Mary Pauline Hartson. Mary was an experienced pilot who had been tapped to be an engineering test pilot and instrument instructor at the same base in Sherman, Texas as Orville.[ix]

Pilot Mary Hartson took up a BT-13A #42-88794 Valiant[x] that day to make an engineering check flight with Staff Sergeant Orville H. Eitzen, 27. They took off from Perrin Field.[xi] Mary was a WASP Pilot, a member of the Woman’s Airforce Service Pilots. A qualified, licensed pilot before her enlistment, she took additional training in the WASP class of 43-W-5[xii].

While no information was found on why Orville was on the plane that day, it’s quite possible he was functioning as a mechanic because that was his pre-war job.

About 30 miles away from the airport, they began to have trouble while checking the aircraft’s radio.[xiii] The tragedy was witnessed by a Mr. and Mrs. Bert Colby of Madill, Oklahoma. They happened to be driving along a highway near the accident when the plane fell about 200 yards from them. The Colby’s reported to The Madill Record newspaper they could tell by the way the plane was flying, it was in trouble. The aircraft went into a stall and spin.[xiv]

It was discovered later both Orville’s and Mary’s safety harnesses were unfastened which indicated they were attempting to bail out.[xv]

Shortly after seeing the plane was having difficulty, the witnesses watched it plumet nose first to the earth in an area near Willis, Oklahoma. Shortly after, another plane from Perrin Field arrived looking for the first plane.[xvi]

After his death, Air Corps Major Earl S. Miller wrote to Orville’s wife and told her “Orville was held in high regard by all members of this command. He was a splendid soldier possessing superior ability and character.”

Orville was 27.

COMMENDATIONS

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal[xvii]

MEMORIALS

The fallen from Iowa are remembered at The World War II Memorial Plaza on the Capitol grounds in Des Moines, Iowa. It was created to honor all those who served so valiantly during the war.

HIS GRAVE

Staff Sergeant Orville H. Eitzen is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Coin, Iowa.

AFTER THE WAR

After Orville’s death, his widow, Liva, then 23, returned to Iowa to live. She never married again. She lived in a town with her sister and had nieces and nephews.[xviii]

RESEARCH NOTES

In researching Orville H. Eitzen, some records spelled his name Orval or Arval. No photo was found.

ABOUT THIS STORY

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 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

ADD TO THIS STORY

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you may contact the author. Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by.” Click on the author’s name to find the contact link.

[i] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300823_00530?pId=44150039

[ii] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4300823_00530?pId=44150039

[iii] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4584428_00563?pId=29789216

[iv] https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=4804929&ssrc=pt&tid=24852880&pid=12778279832&usePUB=true

[v] https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/M-T0627-01188-00755?pId=126582852

[vi] https://search.ancestryinstitution.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=4804929&ssrc=pt&tid=24852880&pid=12778279832&usePUB=true

[vii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86032708/liva-louise-eitzen

[viii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86032708/liva-louise-eitzen

[ix] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70667114/mary-p-hartson

[x] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70667114/mary-p-hartson

[xi] https://www.newspapers.com/image/595789126/?terms=%22pauline%20hartson%22&match=1

[xii] http://womeninflight.blogspot.com/2012/03/wasps_9929.html

[xiii] http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/120359

[xiv] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70667114/mary-p-hartson

[xv] http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/120359

[xvi] https://www.newspapers.com/image/595789126/?terms=%22pauline%20hartson%22&match=1

[xvii] https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=468262

[xviii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86032708/liva-louise-eitzen

Orville Eitzen's wife- Liva Bartles Eitzen- findagrave.jpg

Orville Eitzen grave marker - findagave.jpg

The Freedom Flame Memorial.jpg

Orville Eitzen - marker - findagrave.jpg

Orville Eitzen sympathy letter from headquarters.jpg

Orville H. Eitzen - The_Madill_Record_Thu__Aug_17__1944_.jpg

Orville H Eitzen