FO USAAF WWII
ASN T-061036
381st BG, 353rd B Sq
Pilot


He was the son of Raymond Milton Sunde and Ruth P Anderson, daughter of Gustaf and Mena Anderson. His sister is Delores I Sunde. One of his first cousins was Richard Wallace Sunde.

He had completed four years of high school and worked as a farm hand. He graduated high school at Alberta, Minnesota where the family had lived. He had ran his own small business working at a convenience-type market in town. He was extremely intelligent and gifted in academics. He was considered by his friends and pals to be an outstanding friend and comrade.

He entered the service 10 July 1940 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota while living at Stevens, Minnesota.

He attended flight school at Helena Arkansas, class 43-D, however he earned his pilot's wings 29 April 1943 at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia, along with class 43-D.

He was killed in B-17G #42-31097 'Mission Belle' while on a combat mission to a target at Leverkusen, Germany. The cause was reportedly due to flak bursts while the formation was under persistent head-on fighter attacks, leaving the ship with no controls. A 20mm shell blew out the armor plate near the cockpit, injuring Pilot Sunde in the back. The crew decided to ditch the aircraft in the Rhine River. There was one dinghy available, which several of the crew were able to utilize. Pilot Sunde attempted to swim to shore, but drowned before anyone could reach him. His remains were found much later when the Germans dredged the plane from the river. Three men were killed in action~

FO Harland V Sunde, ASN T-061036, Pilot, from Hennepin Co MN
Sgt Doyle C McCutchen, ASN 39542283, Ball Turret Gunner, from Los Angeles CA
Sgt John F Healy, ASN 32335119, Tail Turret Gunner, from Kings Co NY

Seven other crew members were able to exit the aircraft but were captured and taken as POWs~

2nd Lt James W Sweaney, ASN O-749108, Co-Pilot, from Riverside Co CA
2nd Lt Roger G Christensen, ASN O-739541, Navigator, from Cass Co IA
2nd Lt O D Tully, ASN O-685892, Bombardier, from Marshall Co AL
Sgt Claudio S Carano, ASN 32410832, Radio Operator-Gunner, from Kings Co NY
SSgt William P England, ASN 38168075, Flight Engineer, from San Miguel Co NM
Sgt Charles J Culver, ASN 35722592, Right Waist Gunner, from Henderson Co KY
Sgt Carlton A Josephson, ASN 31196558, Left Waist Gunner, from Hartford Co CT


His parents passed away very young only a short time after Harland was declared missing. A family friend and neighbor had ties to a Dutch airline company, and was able to visit Harland's grave site some time after the war, and brought back photos to Delores.

Harland's grave has since been graciously adopted by a family in the Netherlands.

A book has recently been written by Bill Yancy about this crew and the air crash tragedy of 1 December 1943. It is called We Knew We Were In for a Long Day .

Our friends in the town of Nieuw-Lekkerland, Netherlands, where the crash occurred, are currently (2015) planning a monument to honor this brave crew.

FO USAAF WWII
ASN T-061036
381st BG, 353rd B Sq
Pilot


He was the son of Raymond Milton Sunde and Ruth P Anderson, daughter of Gustaf and Mena Anderson. His sister is Delores I Sunde. One of his first cousins was Richard Wallace Sunde.

He had completed four years of high school and worked as a farm hand. He graduated high school at Alberta, Minnesota where the family had lived. He had ran his own small business working at a convenience-type market in town. He was extremely intelligent and gifted in academics. He was considered by his friends and pals to be an outstanding friend and comrade.

He entered the service 10 July 1940 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota while living at Stevens, Minnesota.

He attended flight school at Helena Arkansas, class 43-D, however he earned his pilot's wings 29 April 1943 at Turner Field, Albany, Georgia, along with class 43-D.

He was killed in B-17G #42-31097 'Mission Belle' while on a combat mission to a target at Leverkusen, Germany. The cause was reportedly due to flak bursts while the formation was under persistent head-on fighter attacks, leaving the ship with no controls. A 20mm shell blew out the armor plate near the cockpit, injuring Pilot Sunde in the back. The crew decided to ditch the aircraft in the Rhine River. There was one dinghy available, which several of the crew were able to utilize. Pilot Sunde attempted to swim to shore, but drowned before anyone could reach him. His remains were found much later when the Germans dredged the plane from the river. Three men were killed in action~

FO Harland V Sunde, ASN T-061036, Pilot, from Hennepin Co MN
Sgt Doyle C McCutchen, ASN 39542283, Ball Turret Gunner, from Los Angeles CA
Sgt John F Healy, ASN 32335119, Tail Turret Gunner, from Kings Co NY

Seven other crew members were able to exit the aircraft but were captured and taken as POWs~

2nd Lt James W Sweaney, ASN O-749108, Co-Pilot, from Riverside Co CA
2nd Lt Roger G Christensen, ASN O-739541, Navigator, from Cass Co IA
2nd Lt O D Tully, ASN O-685892, Bombardier, from Marshall Co AL
Sgt Claudio S Carano, ASN 32410832, Radio Operator-Gunner, from Kings Co NY
SSgt William P England, ASN 38168075, Flight Engineer, from San Miguel Co NM
Sgt Charles J Culver, ASN 35722592, Right Waist Gunner, from Henderson Co KY
Sgt Carlton A Josephson, ASN 31196558, Left Waist Gunner, from Hartford Co CT


His parents passed away very young only a short time after Harland was declared missing. A family friend and neighbor had ties to a Dutch airline company, and was able to visit Harland's grave site some time after the war, and brought back photos to Delores.

Harland's grave has since been graciously adopted by a family in the Netherlands.

A book has recently been written by Bill Yancy about this crew and the air crash tragedy of 1 December 1943. It is called We Knew We Were In for a Long Day .

Our friends in the town of Nieuw-Lekkerland, Netherlands, where the crash occurred, are currently (2015) planning a monument to honor this brave crew.