Charles R. Huntoon, Jr.
Charles Huntoon in his working office, July 15, 2010.
On July 15th I had the pleasure of interviewing USAAF veteran Charles Huntoon in Portland, Maine.
1st Lt. Huntoon was the pilot of the B-24H Hoo-Jive that on the 25th of August 1944 left England for Wismar, Germany. Their target was an FW (Focke-Wulf) aircraft engine plant. The B-24 was hit by a burst of flak under the right wing and soon lost its #4 engine. Not long after that, the #3 engine also died. As they started back toward England, with a P-51 covering them, #2 engine started smoking. Knowing their only other alternative was to ditch the plane in Germany, the crew decided to head toward Sweden. They threw everything in the plane that was not fastened down overboard.
Charlie made a perfect landing at Bulltofta, an airport near Malmö, and the crew was safe.
Initially Charlie went to the internment camp at Falun. Then because he had an engineering background, he was moved to Satenas, an airfield where quite a few of the bombers had been impounded and needed repair.
Charles Huntoon at Falun internment camp works on a canoe he is making for a local little boy. 1944.
After the 1st of the year, January 1945, Charlie was the only American officer on the base. When the internees were given a weekend pass to go into Stockholm, Charlie would debrief them when they returned to base. It was not unusual for the boys to be approached by “characters” asking seemingly casual questions about military details. If there was anything unusual to report, Charlie would take that information to Herman Allen who was stationed in Stockholm at the American Legation.
That is how Herman and Charlie became friends. Herman introduced him to Count Folke Bernadotte. One evening Charlie was invited to the Count’s apartment in Stockholm. “It was dark with a lot of leather and old wood.” Charles and Count Bernadotte enjoyed an evening of political conversations.
On July 12, 1945, Charles Huntoon flew the same plane back to England that he had brought to Sweden the year before, now with four re-built engines. His was the last interned plane to leave.
Sometimes I think the folks at home had it rougher than we did. They were so alone, while we were always with friends.
I’d like to get a message to Charles R. Huntoon, Jr, please. My father was a co-pilot aboard the Hoo Jive, as part of Mike Guimon’s crew. I believe his final 2 runs were made on D-Day, shortly before the plane’s forced landing in Sweden. I’d appreciate the chance to exchange any info of common interest. Thank you, Ken Smith, Powder Springs, GA
Ken, I will call Charlie Huntoon and see if I can’t get the two of you together. Thanks for visiting my website!
I have uploaded a clip on Youtube. It The clip is from the Swedish TV programme “We’ll Meet Again” covering the airshow at Hässlö/Västerås airfield in Sweden 1987-09-12. It also covered a revisit to Sweden by American WW2 bomber crewmen interned in Sweden during the war. and Contains interviews with the bomber pilots CHARLES HUNTOON, Frank Finch and Duane Pangle. Other bomber crewmen are mentioned and can be seen in the included clip from the inauguration of the memorial stone (“A Happy Revisit”) at Hässlö/Västerås 1987.
Hans, I loved watching it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3rdnSTV4rY
I will send it to Charlie and his family. Hope we can “talk” more.
THANKS, Pat
Hans,
Thank you so much for uploading the clip! Is is possible to get a copy of the entire program? I had the honor of meeting Torbjorn Olausson during a trip to Sweden in 2000. I only wish that his entire collection of photos pertaining to the Swedish Internees could be made available.
Am interested also in the photos pertaining to the Swedish Internees. My father, Robert Wagoner, was one of those men.
Pam, in the book “Making for Sweden” I am reading that your Dad was also a bombardier on a B-17. His crew landed in Sweden on Oct. 7, 1944. According to that book, they were interned at Gränna / Mullsjö. I haven’t posted a lot of the pictures of the camps that are in my Dad’s scrapbooks. I will try to do that soon and send you a link.
Dad is doing well– although is slowing down in many areas–still quite amazing for almost 96 years old. His birthday is November 28th. I am grateful for all the work you have been doing and for the interest and honor you have given to my father.
Thank you
My pleasure, Debi. He deserves all the credit and has been very helpful to me. THANKS, Pat
Pat, have you posted the pictures you mention above?
I just posted some to a new “American Internees in WWII Sweden” Facebook group that I created … and I have more to do. I’ll put them all on the Liberty Lady site soon. THANKS, Pat