Gene Harlan Christensen (1942 - 1991)

Born 23 May 1942 in Hot Springs, Fall River, South Dakota, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Katherine Vann (Davenport) Skiles — married 28 Mar 1970 (to 8 Jun 1988) in Plymouth, Washington, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Nov 1991 at age 49 in Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Eric Christensen [send private message] and Amanda Christensen [send private message]

Biography

Gene Christensen is Notable.

Gene Harlan Christensen was born on May 23, 1942 in Hot Springs, Fall River, South Dakota, United States, son of Harlan Leslie Christensen (1909–1969) and Bernice Idarose Betzer (1910–2003).^{[1] [2]}

In 1950, Gene H Christenson (7), was a single son, in the household of Harlan L Christenson (41 years) in Riverdale, McLean, North Dakota, United States. ^[2]

Gene (27) married Katherine Vann Davenport (23) (born November 2, 1946 in Rocky Mount, Nash, North Carolina, United States; daughter of John Forbes Davenport (1917–2006) and Myra Nell (Vann) Davenport (1925–2005)) on March 28, 1970 in Plymouth, Washington, North Carolina. Their son was Eric Harlan Christensen (null – unknown) [non-biological].

Gene died on November 2, 1991 in Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, United States, aged 49.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Early Life

Gene moved around quite a bit while his father was working on war-essential work constructing an underground ammunition depot at nearby Edgemond, South Dakota. It wouldn't be long before Gene would be embarking on several moves across the upper mid-west of the United States following his dad and mother, Idarose Betzer, as he worked on engineering projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The family would finally settle down, ten years after Gene's birth, in the town of Aiken, South Carolina.

Gene continued his grade schooling there and later graduated from the University of South Carolina.

Military Service

Captain Gene Christensen joined the United States Marine Corp on 05 February 1965, completed Officer Candidate School (OCS) in November of 1965, and attended various flight schools from around December of 1965 until November 1966. His first squadran was VMA(AW)-225, MAG-14, 2nd MAW MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina where he reported aboard as a 1st Lieutenant (O-2).

In July 1967 he was promoted to Captain (O-3) and was soon transfered to VMA(AW)-242, MAG-11, 1st MAW to fly "Counter Insurgency Operations" from Danang, RVN. This tour would last until the end of October 1968. During his tour, Gene spent his time flying in the right-hand seat of a Grumman A-6 Intruder, being the Squadron B/N, and Flight Line Division Officer.

Shortly after an R&R trip to Bangkok he was forced to eject from his airplane into the Indian Ocean and was later found to have ruptured his splean. He spent the next three months getting back to flight-readiness on the USNH Guam and at Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Japan. In December of 1968 he returned to Cherry Point MCAS attached to VMA(AW)-332, MAG-14, 2nd MAW.

At the end of 1971, Gene began his second deployment, this time aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) with squadran VMA(AW)-224, MAG-14, 2nd MAW in the Gulf of Tonkin in the contiguous waters of North Vietnam. He returned in September 1972 and began winding down his career eventually retiring from the Marine Corps in 1975 with full disability.

During his career, Gene was awarded^[6]:

• Distinguished Flying Cross
• Air Medal (12th Award)
• Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon
• National Defense Service Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal (3 stars)
• Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with frame & palm)
• Vietnam Campaign Medal (w/device)

Sources

1. ↑

   Image:Christensen-8330.pdf

   Gene Harlan Christensen birth certificate

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
   citing Page: 61; Line: 12;
   FamilySearch Record: 6F76-R4R5 (accessed 27 November 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQHW-1BJH
   Gene H Christenson (7), single son, in household of Harlan L Christenson (41 years) in Riverdale, McLean, North Dakota, United States. Born in South Dakota.
3. ↑ "Georgia Death Index, 1933-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4SQ-11Z : 24 December 2014), Gene H Christensen, 02 Nov 1991; from "Georgia Deaths, 1919-98," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2001); citing Richmond, Georgia, certificate number 044903, Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, Atlanta.
4. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VST9-L2G : 8 January 2021), Gene H Christensen, 02 Nov 1991; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images ( Find A Grave: Memorial #226574304 gene-harlan-christensen : accessed 01 January 2022), memorial page for Gene Harlan Christensen (23 May 1942–2 Nov 1991), Find A Grave: Memorial #226574304, citing Sunset Memory Gardens, Graniteville, Aiken County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Eric Christensen (contributor 50805127) .
6. ↑ Gene Christensen's DD 214 MC J.D. Perry, CAPT, USMC, ADMINO

• Gene Christensen's DD 214 MC J.D. Perry, CAPT, USMC, ADMINO
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 07 May 2021, 04:51), entry for Gene Harlan Christensen (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LBNS-29B ); contributed by various users.
• Parent Obituary: "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011"
  FamilySearch Record: QP1G-TF1M (accessed 5 August 2022)
  FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSW8-S9NG-J Image number 00638
  Name: Capt Gene Harlan Christensen; Occupation: Capt; Source Newspaper: Augusta Chronicle.
• Parent Obituary: "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011"
  FamilySearch Record: QP1G-NJCZ (accessed 5 August 2022)
  FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSW8-S9NL-N Image number 00639
  Name: Capt Gene Harlan Christensen; Occupation: Capt; Source Newspaper: Augusta Chronicle.
• Gene Christensen's DD 214 MC J.D. Perry, CAPT, USMC, ADMINO