The following was written by Madeline Hass Duneman, daughter of Alfred Hass.
Alfred W. Hass and Madeline Slifka were married in August 1941 and lived in Granger, Minn., where Alfred worked in the creamery. He loved to fish and hunt; then after coming in with his fish and game, would run all over town looking for someone with whom to share the bounty.
Al was drafted in April 1942 and left from Preston to go to Fort Snelling for his induction. He was so happy to be assigned to the Air Force. Portland, Oreg., was the next stop, then on to gunnery school in Nevada and radio operator training in California.
This 3508th B Squadron went overseaas in March of 1944, where they were stationed in Italy for the rest of their time in active service. Al always said his crew was like family – they “were all so close, just like brothers.” They were in training together and served their entire overseas time together.
Alfred was decorated for participating in air combat in the Balkans and southern France, air offenses in Europe, and anti-submarine action in Romano. He received a Distinguished Unit Citation, and Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Service Medal.
Two more missions and they would be able to go home to the United States. Fifty missions in all.
They completed the 49th bombing mission and were returning to base when they were shot down over the Adriatic Sea. They got the order to “Bail Out!”
I remember Al telling this: “I always had my pen by the radio. The order came to bail out; I got up from my seat, took a step toward the door, then I remembered the pen which I always kept by the radio. I turned around, picked it up and put it in my pocket, then left the plane. I couldn’t swim and was sure I’d never make it.”
Alfred said his greatest fear was that the propellor of the plane would cut the cords on the parachutes.
The pilot and three of the crew landed in the water and drowned. Alfred and four others floated around in the water for about an hour. Imagine their feelings when they saw a British torpedo boat coming towards them. The British hauled the soaked airmen from the water over the edge of their boat and the first thing they did was offer them tea. Al had never liked tea at all, but this was hot and tasted good! He drank it very thankfully.
He was shipped to the United States immediately after this adventure, was extremely sick with a ruptured appendix and was in the veterans hospital at Fort Snelling for two months. Much of that time we thought he wouldn’t make it. Thank heavens, we were wrong.
After his dismissal from the hospital, Alfred was stationed at Trauk Field, Wis., and was discharged from the Air Force in October 1945.
Al passed away at age 49.
Leave a Reply