Henry E. Erwin

Infobox Military Person
name=Henry E. Erwin, Sr.
born=birth date|1921|5|8
died=death date and age|2002|1|16|1921|5|8
placeofbirth=Adamsville, Alabama
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=Henry Erwin
nickname="Red"
allegiance=United States of America
branch=United States Army Air Forces
serviceyears=
rank=Master Sergeant
commands=
unit=29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor Purple Heart
relations=
laterwork=

Henry E. Erwin, Sr., (May 8, 1921 – January 16, 2002) was a United States Army Air Forces airman and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

Erwin joined the Army from Bessemer, Alabama, and by April 12, 1945 was serving as a Staff Sergeant in the 52nd Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force. During a bombing mission on that day, over Koriyama, Japan, a smoke bomb exploded prematurely 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 by disposing of the smoke-generating bomb. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor two months later, on June 6, 1945.

Erwin reached the rank of Master Sergeant before leaving the Army. His son, Hank Erwin, became an Alabama state senator. Henry Erwin died at age 80 and was interred at Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

Erwin's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

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.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

*findagrave|7658512 Retrieved 2008-02-12

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (A-F)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = July 16, 2007
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-a-f.html
accessdate = 2008-02-12

Persondata
NAME= Erwin, Henry E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=