Technical Sergeant Walter Charles Ahrens, Sr, #6908767, was born 11 December 1913 in New York to John and Adeline (nee Ronnerman) Ahrens. He was the youngest of 4 brothers.

He married Eleanor Arlene Wilbur in 1940 and they had 2 sons at the time of his death: Walter Charles Ahrens, Jr and Donald Richard Ahrens.

He enlisted 12 July 1941 in Orlando Air Base, Florida.

He was part of the 2AAF Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, India China Division Air Transport Command that was responsible for flying supplies to China from bases in India, to help the Chinese ward off the Japanese. This was known as flying “over the hump”, a very dangerous activity not only because of the high elevation but also because of the wind turbulence in the Himalayas. On 23 January 1945 he was the Radio Operator on C-47B #43-16192 when it was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft guns in Burma. The crew consisted of Pilot, Captain Jack T Green; Copilot, 2nd Lt Paul J Stiquel; Engineer Sgt Milton R Black, and kickers Sgt Henry J Scodino, Cpl Charles R Crane and Cpl Arnold Tepiew.

He was originally buried in Kalaikunda Cemetery, Kalaikunda Air Force Base, India. His remains were reinterred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Honolulu, Hawaii in 1949.

He received a Purple Heart and Air Medal.

References:

Gravestone - Punchbowl Hawaii

Interment Request

Ahrens, Walter Charles