World War II Honoree

Herbert W. Chouinard

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Connecticut

Honored By

LTC David Blackburn

Relationship

Friend

1ST LIEUTENANT, 8TH AIR FORCE, 401ST BOMB SQUADRON, 91ST BOMB GROUP. FLEW MISSIONS OUT OF BASSINGBOURN, ENGLAND. PILOTED A B-17G, TAIL NUMBER 42-31883, NICKNAMED 'THE JUB JUB BIRD'. FLEW 69 MISSIONS PRIOR TO BEING SHOT DOWN. ON NOVEMBER 2, 1944, PARTICIPATED IN A BOMBING MISSION AGAINST THE SYNTHETIC OIL REFINERIES AT MERSEBURG, GERMANY, WHICH WERE VERY HEAVILY DEFENDED WITH FLAK GUNS. SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE TARGET, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED A DIRECT FLAK HIT. THE SHELL EXPLODED IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE PILOTS’ COMPARTMENT. THE NUMBER 2 ENGINE DISINTEGRATED AND SENT THE PROPELLER SPINNING THROUGH THE AIR AHEAD OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE COCKPIT, SIDES AND ROOF AROUND THE PILOTS’ POSITION BLEW OUT OF THE SHIP. THE AIRCRAFT NOSE SECTION WAS ALSO BLOWN AWAY FROM THE SHIP. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR LEIPZIG AT 12:55 HOURS.