Mr. Rick, your father didn't change much. Great photos.
When B-29's and the Asia-Pacific theatre of operations are brought to mind, I think of this man, Henry "Red" Erwin, from Adamsville, a suburb of Birmingham.
In my mind, the most courageous individual I have ever known or even heard of.
For some period of time after the War, he worked as a photographer for The Birmingham News. My Mom was also employed there and she and Dad knew Mr. Erwin.
He was the VA contact representative for many years and when Sarah and I bought our home in 1979, using a VA loan, Mr. Erwin was the man that set it up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_E._Erwin
Interesting, if he had not "washed out" of flight school, he would not have been the man that dropped that phospherous flare through the chute in the floor of the B-29's fuselage. Would anyone else have had the character to do what he did? I honestly don't know. He was in the right place at the right time and saved his entire crew.
There are several websites dedicated to Mr. Erwin, some with more photos and details of his actions that day and events following.
Do a Google search.
They actually broke into a headquarters building in Hawaii, smashed a glass display case and stole a Medal of Honor to give to him.
Ponder what it would take to pick up a flare, burning at 1100 degrees and feel your way half the length of a B-29, stopping to raise a locked table, then proceed to the cock-pit, say, "Excuse me, Sir" to the co-pilot and throw the flare out the co-pilot's window, all the while enduring the unbearable pain of your own burning body.
Simply unbelievable to me. I will always be in absolute awe of the man.
Charlie Noyes
