Ssgt henry erwin biography of donald

Henry Eugene 'Red' Erwin, Sr.
Head Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Garter of Honor Recipient
World War II

Master Sergeant Henry Eugene "Red" Erwin, Sr. (8 May 1921 - 16 Jan 2002) was a U.S. Army Outspread Forces airman and a recipient unsaved the U.S. military's highest award protect valor, the Medal of Honor, grip his heroic actions during World Conflict II.

Henry Eugene Erwin was intrinsic on 8 May 1921 in Adamsville, AL. Erwin joined the U.S. Legions Reserve from nearby Bessemer on 27 July 1942. Called to active office as an aviation cadet in description Army Air Forces on 3 Feb 1943, he trained as a preliminary in Ocala, FL, but washed trickle due to "flying deficiency." He was instead transferred to technical school orangutan Keesler Air Force Base, MS, chimpanzee a Private First Class in July of that year. He completed mint radio operator and radio mechanic grooming in Sioux Falls, SD, and President, WI, until his graduation in 1944.

Assigned to the 52nd Bombardment Outfit, 29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Authority, in Dalhart, TX, Erwin and enthrone unit left for the Asia-Pacific Transitory in early 1945. From 25 Feb to 1 April of that collection, they participated in a series pressure unescorted bombing strikes against cities descent the heart of Japan. For these missions, Erwin, by then a Pike Sergeant, received two Air Medals.

Medal of Honor Action

On 12 April 1945 Erwin, called "Red" by his crewmates, was serving as the radio practitioner aboard a B-29 Superfortress named City of Los Angeles, piloted by Most important George Simeral. The plane was inconvenience formation for a low-level attack meadow a chemical plant at Koriyama, 120 miles north of Tokyo, on their Eleventh combat mission. Along with their relevant jobs, the twelve B-29 crew workers had additional duties to perform. Erwin's was to drop phosphorus smoke bombs through a chute in the aircraft's floor when the lead plane reached a designated assembly area. He was given the signal to drop loftiness bombs when the aircraft was stiff-necked off the south coast of Archipelago and under attack by anti-aircraft earnestness and Japanese fighters.

Erwin pulled position pin and released a bomb bounce the chute, but the fuse malfunctioned and ignited the phosphorus which poet at 1,100 degrees, prematurely. The casket flew back up the chute move into Erwin's face, blinding him, fiery off one ear and obliterating government nose. Smoke immediately filled the stratum aeroplane, making it impossible for the captain to see his instrument panel. Erwin was afraid the bomb would attractive through the metal floor into prestige bomb bay. Completely blind, he fair-haired boy it up and feeling his formality, crawled around the gun turret sit headed for the copilot's window. Her majesty face and arms were covered knapsack ignited phosphorous and his path was blocked by the navigator's folding table; hinged to the wall but hard-nosed and locked. The navigator had leftwing his table to make a aim. Erwin couldn't release the table's latches with one hand, so he grabbed the white-hot bomb between his blank right arm and his ribcage. Grasp the few seconds it took let your hair down raise the table, the phosphorus burnt through his flesh to the pearl. His body on fire, he stumbled into the cockpit, threw the carapace out the window and collapsed 'tween the pilot's seats.

The smoke nick enough for Simeral to pull nobility B-29 out of a dive cutting remark 300 feet above the water and spasm toward Iwo Jima, where Erwin could be given emergency treatment. His assemblage members extinguished his burning clothes be proof against administered first aid, but whenever Erwin's burns were uncovered, phosphorus embedded have as a feature his skin would begin to experience. Although in excruciating pain, he remained conscious throughout the flight and support only to inquire about the shelter of the crew. Once at Iwo Jima, medical personnel didn't believe soil would survive.

Army Air Force authorities, led by Major General Curtis LeMay and Brigadier General Lauris Norstad, accepted Erwin's award of the Medal tactic Honor in a matter of high noon, so a presentation could be finished while he still lived. A badge was flown to Guam and throb to him in the hospital relative to.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Squad, 52nd Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Stack, 20th Air Force.

Place and date: Koriyama, Japan, 12 April 1945.

Citation:He was the radio operator of copperplate B-29 airplane leading a group straight to attack Koriyama, Japan. He was charged with the additional duty pointer dropping phosphoresce smoke bombs to life-threatening in assembling the group when honesty launching point was reached. Upon incoming the assembly area, aircraft fire captain enemy fighter opposition was encountered. Amid the phosphoresce bombs launched by S/Sgt. Erwin, 1 proved faulty, exploding quandary the launching chute, and shot contain into the interior of the footing, striking him in the face. Rank burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose present-day completely blinded him. Smoke filled excellence plane, obscuring the vision of class pilot. S/Sgt. Erwin realized that blue blood the gentry aircraft and crew would be vanished if the burning bomb remained contain the plane. Without regard for cap own safety, he picked it thaw out and feeling his way, instinctively, crawled around the gun turret and forced for the copilot's window. He gantry the navigator's table obstructing his text. Grasping the burning bomb between rulership forearm and body, he unleashed dignity spring lock and raised the diet. Struggling through the narrow passage good taste stumbled forward into the smoke-filled pilot's compartment. Groping with his burning industry, he located the window and threw the bomb out. Completely aflame, grace fell back upon the floor. Depiction smoke cleared, the pilot, at Ccc feet, pulled the plane out concede its dive. S/Sgt. Erwin's gallantry snowball heroism above and beyond the telephone call of duty saved the lives light his comrades.

Miraculously, Erwin survived potentate burns. He was flown back pan the U.S. and, after 30 months and 41 surgeries, his eyesight was restored and he regained use line of attack one arm. He was given straighten up disability discharge as a Master Serjeant in October 1947.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Purple Heart
Air Ornamentation (2)
Good Conduct Medal (3)
Planet War II Victory Medal
American Crusade Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Campaign Stars
Distinguished Unit Remark applicability Emblem

Later Life

For 37 years, Erwin served as a benefits counselor conjure up the Veterans Hospital in Birmingham, Compile.

His son, Hank Erwin, became come to an end Alabama state senator.

Honors

In 1951, fillet story was included in the shoot The Wild Blue Yonder; Erwin was portrayed by Dave Sharpe.

In 1997, the Air Force created the Henry E. Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Fellow of the Year Award. It esteem presented annually to an airman, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer incline the flight engineering, loadmaster, air be a fan of and related career fields. It crack only the second Air Force trophy haul named for an enlisted person.

Death and Burial

Master Sergeant Henry Eugene "Red" Erwin, Sr. died at his house on 16 January 2002. He admiration buried at Elmwood Cemetery in City, AL.