FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: SSgt Henry "Red" Erwin ~ March 8, 2010

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

SSgt Henry "Red" Erwin

Info from this website.

           

 By: DaveTroll

Without counting the cost to himself, SSgt. Henry Erwin did what had to be done to save the B-29 crew.

We may marvel at the heroism and tenacity of the men whose stories have been told in this column, but few readers can truly comprehend the suffering of many Vietnam POWs, the epic struggle of Lance Sijan, or the gallantry of Jack Mathis. What they did lies beyond the realm of our experience. But most of us have borne in some small degree the kind of anguish SSgt. Henry E. Erwin endured to save the lives of his fellow crewmen. We can empathize with his suffering and perhaps more fully appreciate the depth of his heroism.

On April 12, 1945, the City of Los Angeles, a 29th Bombardment Group aircraft commanded by Capt. George Simeral, led a formation of Guam-based B-29s in a low-level attack on a chemical plant at Koriyama, some 120 miles north of Tokyo. It was the 11th combat mission for Simeral's lead crew. Alabama-born Henry Erwin, known to his family as "Gene" and to his squadron mates as "Red," was the B-29's radio operator. According to retired Colonel Simeral, a holder of the Distinguished Service Cross, Erwin was "a country boy, quiet, unassuming, religiously devout," and the best radioman of the 52d Bomb Squadron.

One of Erwin's additional duties was to drop a phosphorus smoke bomb through a chute in the B-29's floor when the lead plane reached an assembly area over enemy territory. He was given the signal to drop the bomb when the City of Los Angeles was off the south coast of Japan and under attack by flak ships. Erwin, bare-headed and with shirtsleeves rolled up, pulled the pin and released his bomb into the chute. The fuse malfunctioned, igniting the phosphorus, which burned at a temperature of 1,300 degrees. (The heating element of an electric range glows red at 1,100 degrees.) The canister blew back up the chute into Erwin's face, blinding him, searing off one ear, and filling the B-29 with heavy smoke that obscured the pilots' instrument panel.

Erwin knew that the bomb would burn through the metal floor into the bomb bay. It had to be jettisoned or the aircraft and crew were lost. Totally blind, he located the burning bomb on the floor, picked it up in his bare hands, and stumbled forward toward the flight deck, aiming to throw it out the copilot's window. As he groped his way around the gun turret, his face and arms covered with ignited phosphorus, his path was blocked by the navigator's folding table, hinged to the wall but now down and locked. The navigator had left his table to make a sighting.

Erwin needed both hands to release the table's latches. While he felt for them, he held the white-hot bomb under his bare right arm. In those seconds, the phosphorus burned through his flesh to the bone. Now a walking torch, Erwin staggered on into the pit, threw the bomb out the window, and collapsed between the pilots' seats.

Simeral, no longer blinded by smoke, pulled the B-29 out of a dive at 300 feet above the water and turned toward Iwo Jima where Erwin could be given emergency treatment. Horrified crew members extinguished the flames consuming Erwin's clothing and administered first aid. Whenever the sergeant's burns were uncovered, phosphorus embedded in his flesh began to smoulder. In terrible pain, Erwin remained conscious throughout the flight to Iwo. He spoke only to inquire about the safety of the crew.

The medics at Iwo did not believe Erwin could survive. Cutting through red tape, Army Air Force officials, spurred by Maj. Gen. Curtis LeMay and Brig. Gen. Lauris Norstad, approved award of the Medal of Honor in a matter of hours, so a presentation could be made while Erwin lived. A Medal was flown to Guam and presented in the hospital there.

Contrary to the flight surgeons' opinion, Erwin did survive. He was evacuated to the States, and after 30 months and reconstructive surgery that restored his eyesight and the use of one arm, Erwin was given a disability discharge from the AAF as a master sergeant in October 1947. For 37 years he served as a Veterans' Benefit Counselor at the VA Hospital in Birmingham.

While Erwin lay swathed in bandages in the hospital at Guam, Gen. Hap Arnold wrote: "I regard your act as one of the bravest in the records of this war." No one could argue with that judgment. Erwin was, and always will remain, a hero among heroes.

Related Links:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/erwin.html
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/erwin_tribute.html

Citation

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 52d Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force.

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

Entered service at: Bessemer, Ala.

Born: 8 May 1921, Adamsville, Ala. G.O. No.: 44, 6 June 1945.

Citation: He was the radio operator of a B-29 airplane leading a group formation to attack Koriyama, Japan. He was charged with the additional duty of dropping phosphoresce smoke bombs to aid in assembling the group when the launching point was reached. Upon entering the assembly area, aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition was encountered. Among the phosphoresce bombs launched by S/Sgt. Erwin, 1 proved faulty, exploding in the launching chute, and shot back into the interior of the aircraft, striking him in the face. The burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose and completely blinded him. Smoke filled the plane, obscuring the vision of the pilot. S/Sgt. Erwin realized that the aircraft and crew would be lost if the burning bomb remained in the plane. Without regard for his own safety, he picked it up and feeling his way, instinctively, crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot's window. He found the navigator's table obstructing his passage. Grasping the burning bomb between his forearm and body, he unleashed the spring lock and raised the table. Struggling through the narrow passage he stumbled forward into the smoke-filled pilot's compartment. Groping with his burning hands, he located the window and threw the bomb out. Completely aflame, he fell back upon the floor. The smoke cleared, the pilot, at 300 feet, pulled the plane out of its dive. S/Sgt. Erwin's gallantry and heroism above and beyond the call of duty saved the lives of his comrades.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[oldteen]

Hey, what gives. Ain't you new at this?

Ummm....kinda. But I'm a quick study :)

[TADSLOS]

He wasn’t too happy when I pointed my camera at him behind the wire. I was between him and his meal of taxpayer provided pecans littering the ground.

[unique]

failed? That’s because trying doesn’t work, never has - you either do something or don’t do something.

I’ll be closing on a house, soon (a short sale scenario) so I’ll be doing a lot of cleaning out boxes. As an aside, it’s simply amazing what people have done to themselves in the real estate market the past 5+ years - short sales and foreclosures all over the place in this area. It’s sort of sad.

[beachn4fun]

I'm a quick study

Ah, apparently ;)

[beachn4fun]

Well, let’s say that my intent was not to do too much over the weekend but one thing led to another.

It is sad what has happened in the real estate market. I know some of it couldn’t be helped but a lot of people didn’t use conventional wisdom of not buying more than you could afford.

They’re everywhere on the East coast as well.

One of the sad things is how some people tried to work with their lender to salvage their credit and home but lender let it drag on until they were so far in arrears it moved into foreclosure. Then, there’s a friend who has been trying to buy a house via short-sale and the banks have been dragging their knuckles. They’ve been trying since Thanksgiving!

As Mr. Beachy says, “now the market will bring it all back in balance.”

we agree the housing market was overblown.

Good luck on the closing. They are so stressful.

[unique]

You are right on the short sales - we started on this one back in November last year, but it now looks good in a few weeks. The house is owned by a family of five, relatively young kids - they ended up owing $665K on a house that’s now worth $400K in this market. It’s a dilemma - when will the $265K shortfall come back? I’d say, close to never. As a banker, I can see why the banks are slow on these transactions - imagine writing off $265,000 on just one loan?

Anyway, Ms. unique and I figure that we are doing the owners a favor by stepping in on a short sale versus a foreclosure on their credit record - they are really nice people that just got carried away - of course, the banking system - specifically mortgage banking allowed this to happen - along with Freddie/Fannie and that swishy Barney Frank.

[PROCON]

Hiya Beachie!!

I'm just getting over my cold and took another day off, the worst is past!

Sunny, then rain over here on the left coast; again, Spring is almost sprung.

Have a terrifabulous day!

[beachn4fun]

Mr. Beachy was quite surprised that I knew the govt (Franks/Mac&Mae) was the major blame for the mortgage mess way before the media spewed it out. He usually knows these things before me.

It is nice of you to step in. Hope it works out for you.

[SevenofNine]

Did you guys hear about Turkish earthquake

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_earthquake

[tomkow6]

Godzilla on a rampage hissy-fit in Turkey now?

[SevenofNine]

He probably is he just told me that his Toyota stocks is in toilet right now Tomkow

Yeah did you know Godzilla grandfather in Toyota LOL!

[unique]

Most people still don’t realize that the RE fiasco all started with Congress - once again wanting everyone to own a house - Freddie/Fannie carried out Congressional social policy, big time. Of course, mortgage brokers/bankers loved the subsequent lowering of lending standards - basically they could hold up a mirror and if they could see your breath on the mirror, you got the loan. Although it looks like even vampires got loans.

The core problem is the mismanagement of social policy by the government - liberals have cost Americans TRILLIONS of dollars, and still counting!

[Lady Jag]

TODAY IS FUN FACTS ABOUT NAMES DAY!

Here are some fun name facts to get you started:

Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy

The Lone Ranger's name, except when he put on his mask, etc., was "John Reid" (played on TV by Clayton Moore).

U2's original band name was Feedback.

Who was the "Granny Smith" apple named after? Maria Ann Smith.

Nipper is the name of the dog on the RCA logo (the logo shows a dog [Nipper] listening to a gramophone).

Prior to being named the "White House" (President Theodore Roosevelt first used that name when he had "White House" engraved on his stationery in 1901), the residence was known as, the "President's Palace," the "President's House" or the "Executive Mansion."

Maine is the only state in the United States whose name is just one syllable.

"They certainly give very strange names to diseases. " -Plato

Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenberdorft Sr., had a name for every letter in the alphabet, shortened his name to Mr Wolfe Plus 585 Sr. (the world's longest name officially used by a person).

The full name of the city Los Angeles? El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles

The name FIAT comes from Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino?

"Jake the Jailbird" is the name of the guy in jail on a Monopoly board.

The police officer in the opposite corner on the Monopoly board is "Officer Edgar Mallory."

"Scotty" is the name of the Monopoly dog (playing piece).

"Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them." -Bill Vaughn

The world's longest name of a lake? A short answer: Lake Webster, Massachusetts. Lake Webster has a much longer 'official' name, in fact a few, so take your pick: Chargogagogmanchargogagogcharbunagungamog, 41 letters; Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamogg, 44 letters; Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchabunagungamaugg, 44 letters; Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, 45 letters. Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg also happens to be the longest place name in the US and the 6th longest in the world.

There are people with the last name Name; there are people with the last name Names.

The name of an armhole in clothing is armsaye.

According to Baum Family legend, the name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."

Prior to the name "The Beatles," the band had the names: the Quarrymen, Johnny and the Moondogs, the Moonshiners, and Long John and the Silver Beatles.

The name of the Cream of Wheat chef is Rastus.

New York's famous "Broadway" was originally named the Wiechquaekeck Trail.

Long ago, English poets signed their work with a symbol. Two from those times, Cynewulf and Caedmon, used a name.

The Cracker Jack dog's name is Bingo.

The name for the bottom part of one's nose between the nostrils is columella nasi.

Brazil's previous name was "Republic of the United States of Brazil" (changed in 1967 to "Federative Republic of Brazil").

The name of the Taco Bell dog is Gidget.

The name for the creases on the inside of one's wrists is rasceta.

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." -John F. Kennedy

Tarzan's mate Jane...her last name is Parker.

The names for symbols used to represent swearing in cartoons are: grawlix, jarns, nittles, and quimp

Barbie [the famous doll], last name: Roberts. (Her middle name: Millicent)

Ken's last name = Carson.

Willy...the first name of Gilligan (of TV's "Gilligan's Island").

The name for the little finger or toe is minimus.

The name behind the initials L.L. in L.L. Bean = Leon Leonwood.

Octotorpe is the name of the "#" symbol on a telephone.

The name of the space between one's thumb and extended forefinger is purlicue.

The Beatles song "Hey Jude" was first named, "Hey Jules."

Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is named for a surveyor, Colonel Sir George Everest.

Almost all the names on Free Republic are fake!

[Arrowhead1952]

Almost all the names on Free Republic are fake!

Tell me no!

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good afternoon, L.J. In the middle of a rainshower. How’s it going for you this afternoon?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yikes, Arrowhead...stay safe. We are expecting flurries during the day, and a couple inches of snow overnight. Thanks for breakfast.

[Lady Jag]

Don’t worry, my name is real. It’s you all with numerical last names that have your credibility questioned all the time. It’s tough being a number.

[SevenofNine]

OH LJ where you get this this off Twitter EEEWWWWW

BreakingNews Update: DNA tests confirm body found at Cyprus cemetery is stolen corpse of former President Tassos Papadopoulos http://bit.ly/acp4FQ

[tomkow6]

mine?

[tomkow6]

mine?