Frank L HAWKINSON

25 yo

B-26 Marauder - type C-10-MO - s/n 41-34879 RJ*Q "Little Lulu"

Macr:
Mission: training mission
Take off Ground A-40 Chartres (28)

Villeneuve-sur-Auvers N°3594

Map of St James American Cemetery

Frank L. Hawkinson was born on October 13, 1918, his father, George, was 29 and his mother, Marguerite, was 21.

He lost his father when he was only 5 years old. Frank L Hawkinson enlisted in the Army on January 22, 1942, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, during World War II.

He was 23 years old. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II as a First Lieutenant in the 454th Bomber Squadron, 323rd Bomber Group, Medium.

Hawkinson was a crew member of the B-26 Marauder "Little Lulu" that took off from the A-40 airfield by Chartres, France and crashed 4 kms west of there for unknown reasons.

The plane was destroyed and all five crew members perished.

He died on September 28, 1944, was initially buried at Villeneuve-sur-Auvers in France and is now buried at Brittany American Cemetery, St. James, France.

Roy R BOZYCH

“Little Lulu” serial # 41-34879 coded RJ-Q was lost on September 28, 1944 during a training mission with a new crew.

It crashed 2 ½ miles west of A-40 Chartres, France.

There were no survivors.

Lost that day were the pilot Burl LUNKENBILL, copilot Willard WATSON, Bombardier Frank HAWKINSON, Flight Engineer Gerald THEUBER, Flight Engineer Leonard HARDY, Radioman Charles BRUCKER and Tail Gunner Joseph MAXWELL.

There was an investigation afterward but since “Little Lulu” was completely consumed in the ensuing fire no cause of the accident was ever found. The pilot Burl Lunkenbill had almost 1,000 hrs in a B-26.

At the time of the crash “Little Lulu” had completed 108 combat missions and was becoming “War Weary” so this may have been a factor. 

Crew of B-26 Marauder - type C-10-MO - s/n 41-34879 RJ*Q

"Little Lulu"