FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: SSgt Henry "Red" Erwin ~ 24 August 2020

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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.

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[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

How’s your weekend been? Kicked back and lazy or did Robin have some projects for you to play with? :-)

[radu]

Dang the luck, Mayor. You have my sympathies! After over 6 months of almost daily outages, the frustration is well-known.

[luvie]

Howdy, radu! Did the cool weather hang around for another day? Hope so, for your sanity’s sake. :)

[SkyDancer]

Hai! (((HUGS))) The disappointing thing about is the chief check pilot flew a route with me and when we got back to Denver he recommended me for the captain’s classes so now I don’t know if I’ll be going. Mores to come.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...hope rain is trying to find you.

We are having just enough sprinkles to get the street wet. We were promised real rain. We will see.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, wjcsux...his is a story of a true hero.

Awesome, for sure!

[Left2Right]

Great post! Thank you!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Poor Penny for sure. Does she want to be in your lap during thunderstorms? A safe place!

[radu]

Howdy, luvie!

It was a bit warm today, and since it sprinkled a little right after I woke up it was muggy. Not overly uncomfortable though.

Have y’all cooled off at all?

[left that other site]

She goes into the bathroom and balls up the rug. Then she lies, trembling and alert, on the cold tiles. I have no idea why.

Right now, she is lying at me feet, sound asleep, as the thunder has finally stopped.

[PROCON]

Yo radu!

A do-nothing weekend for me, I did go visit Robin and the pups today,but anymore heavy yard work except mowing will have to wait until the Fall when it's cooler.

Howz things with you and the kittehs?

Did the stray boy stay and if so have you named him?

[left that other site]

Time for bed! Good night All!

[Kathy in Alaska]

It is a wonder that he survived, but he did.

[Kathy in Alaska]

He was indeed, Pro, he was indeed. The will to live after his heroic act was so strong!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Ready to take on the new week?

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

We did have a brief sprinkle this afternoon but not even one drop made it into the rain gauge.

I have the airport cam up and it’s been sprinkling there too. The bulk of the rain seems to have stayed in the mountains. Boy, is that scenario ever familiar! LOL

[radu]

Rest up while you can. Fall’s not all that far off and you’ll be bustin’ yer rump before you know it. LOL!

Things are ok here and the kittehs have calmed down from their “new moon lunacy” at last. It can be worse than the full moon and it certainly was this month.

I’m still trying to think of a name for the new guy and for now we still call him Hog Head, the moniker Hubby came up with. LOL He’s a sweetie and loves to sit in my lap when I sit outside with him. The problem is he’s almost too much cat for my lap. He’s a big boy and is heavy.

[radu]

It’s a flat out miracle he survived!

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy!

[luvie]

Just a tiny bit. It was only 96 today and will be about 95 for the next 2 days. And yet, it’s still 88 out there. It just never gives up.

Glad it was cool enough there to make the “muggy” less oppresive. How is the cotton looking? Are bolls forming yet?