Sunday 15 August 2021

1410) Henry E. Erwin

Henry Eugene Erwin Sr. (1921 – 2002) United States Army Air Forces airman and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. He earned the award as a staff sergeant and radio operator aboard a B-29 Superfortress in the Asia-Pacific theater. During a 1945 bombing mission over Koriyama, Japan, a white phosphorus bomb prematurely ignited in his aircraft and seriously wounded him. As smoke filled the plane, he picked up the burning device and carried it through the aircraft to the cockpit where he tossed it out a window. Although he suffered severe burns, he successfully saved his plane and all crew members aboard by disposing of the incendiary/smoke-generating bomb.

- "Erwin and his crew — who called him "Red" due to his auburn hair color — flew B-29 Superfortress strikes against Japan."  https://www.defense.gov/.../medal-of-honor-monday-army.../
 
- "He had red hair, brown eyes and a “ruddy” complexion..."  https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/.../glenn-l-martin.../
 

 

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