Eric E. Hokans was born in 1919. He served in the 584th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomber Group, Medium, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator of B-26 Marauder #42-107667 nicknamed “Ginger II” during World War II.

On April 21, 1944, B-26 Marauder “Ginger II” took off from Station 161 Boreham Airfield, Essex, England, for a mission targeting the Bois d’Esquerdes V-1 site in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. At approximately 11:37 a.m., while flying near Remilly-Wirquin, about 10 km south of Saint-Omer, the aircraft was hit by German flak on the left engine, causing fatal damage. The bomber went down in the “Les Monts” area of Remilly-Wirquin, and while there was an attempt to abandon the aircraft, only part of the crew managed to get out before it crashed. Of the six crew members, five were killed in action, and one survived but was captured.

2Lt Hokans was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Lakeside Cemetery, Holly, Oakland County, Michigan, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net