CMSGT Teddy "Ted" W. Hanks
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF)

Background
Teddy W. Hanks was born May 25, 1921 in Lawton, Oklahoma. Nicknamed "Ted". He graduated high school and worked as a metal worker then enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private with serial number 18029806 and was assigned to the Hawaii Department.

Wartime History
Assigned to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) then sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 35th Fighter Group (35th FG), 40th Fighter Squadron (40th FS) "The Red Devils" as a aircraft crew chief.

Later, transfered to the 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angels", 433nd Fighter Squadron (433nd FS) "Possum" as a crew chief at North Borio Airfield (Dobodura No. 15) for P-38H Lightning 42-66834 assigned to pilot Captain Daniel "Danny" T. Roberts, Jr. until the plane crashed and the pilot was Killed In Action (KIA) on November 9, 1943 and was devastated by the loss of his pilot and friend.


Postwar
At the end of World War II, he was promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant. then joined the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and retired with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSGT) and retired to Witchita Falls, Texas.

During the early 1990s, he researched a complete crew and passengers list for the crash of B-17C "Pamela / E.M.F." 40-2072 near Baker's Creek because he lost several friends in what was the single worst aviation disaster of World War II in Australia and Australian aviation history.

Memorials
Hanks passed away February 12, 2005 at age 83. He is buried at Highland Cemetery in Lawton, OK at block 49, lot 50.

Relatives
Helen Elizabeth Keith Hanks (wife died December 24, 2013)
Danny Hanks (son)

Reference
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Teddy W. Hanks
109th Congress 1st Session H. CON. RES. 106 40 members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives in the air crash at Bakers Creek
"Whereas retired United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Teddy W. Hanks, of Wichita Falls, Texas, who lost four of his World War II buddies in the crash, compiled a list of the casualties from United States archives in 1993 and began searching for their families"
FindAGrave - Teddy Warren Hanks (grave photos)
Thanks to Robert Rocker and Edward Rogers for additional information

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