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Luverne WWII pilot featured in 'The War' dies

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Aanenson today
Quentin and Jackie Aanenson with Ken Burns
Image courtesy Quentin Aanenson

Quentin Aanenson, a World War Two fighter pilot from Luverne, Minnesota, who was featured in the Ken Burns documentary "The War," has died.

Quentin Aanenson was 87 years old. He passed away on Sunday at his home in Bethesda, Maryland.

Aanenson risked his life flying 75 missions during the war, but it was his vivid descriptions of what he saw that inspired Burns to make Luverne a focus of the documentary.

Last year, Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Steil visited Luverne on the eve of the television broadcast.

Here is his report.

MPR's News Cut features a tribute to Aanenson.

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Aanenson today
Quentin and Jackie Aanenson with Ken Burns
Image courtesy Quentin Aanenson
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Quentin Aanenson
A yearbook picture of Quentin Aanenson, whose wartime experiences as a fighter pilot are also features in "The War."
Image from