Captain Hank Bakken was my grandfather. He passed away in 2011. Thanks for your lifelike visualization of his Thunderbolt. You may also enjoy the color print of his plane by Gaetan Marie at Bravo Bravo Aviation, which I have framed at home. His obituary, published in the Seattle times, is below.
Henry "Hank" BAKKEN went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 2, 2011, leaving his bride of 63 years, Jean. Hank began life at Swedish hospital on September 25, 1920, the son of Nenton C. & Ellen C. Bakken, joining his big sister, Carita. Hank graduated from Auburn High School the class of 1939, and joined the Army Air Corp, hoping to fly planes. He became a decorated P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot in the European theater, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. Hank met the girl of his dreams in Jean Hagstrom, a pretty Whidbey Island farm girl, and they married May 22, 1948. They had three children, Joanne Pease, (Dan), Thomas Bakken (Megan), and Carol Harrison (Wade). Hank loved to build beautiful custom homes, and there are many in the Puget Sound area that attest to his skill and integrity. A man of faith, he loved well and lived well. In addition to his wife and children, Hank leaves nine grandchildren, four great-grandsons, many nieces and nephews, family and friends who will greatly miss his playful sense of humor and ready smile. Services will be at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church where Hank was a long time member, on Saturday, November 12 at 11:00a.m. Inurnment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery on Monday, November 14 at 11:30a.m. The family asks that remembrances be made to the church or to the Primary Immune Deficiency Foundation.
Cordially,
Daniel Bakken
Author
Topic: 2048x2 P-47D-28-RA Thunderbolt, "Fat Cat" (Read 6507 times)
