World War II Honoree

Erwin J. Harrison

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New Haven, Connecticut

Honored By

Drew Harrison, Amie Hauser & Wendy Greenberg

Relationship

Children

TECHNICAL SERGEANT. RADIO OPERATOR, MECHANIC, AERIAL GUNNER WITH THE 547TH BOMB SQUADRON, 384TH BOMB GROUP (HEAVY). SERVED FROM OCTOBER 26, 1943 TO FEBRUARY 2, 1946 WITH JANUARY 31, 1945 TO JANUARY 12, 1946 IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS FROM GRAFTON UNDERWOOD, UNITED KINGDOM. FLEW WITH CREW OF CHARLES B. SHUFF AND CREDITED WITH 22 COMBAT MISSIONS, 21 OVER GERMANY AND A FINAL MISSION ON GUN INSTALLATIONS AT ROYAN, FRANCE. TARGETS FOR THE GERMAN MISSIONS WERE THE RAILROAD STATIONS AND MARSHALLING YARDS AT NUREMBURG, ULZEN, WAHREN, MINDEN, PLAUEN, HAGEN AND BRUCHSAL; TANK AND SUBMARINE SHOPS AT FREDERICHSHAVEN; SUBMARINE PENS AT BREMEN; SUBMARINE SHIPYARD AT HAMBURG; ORDNANCE DEPOT AT ULM; ARMY HEADQUARTERS AT ZOSSEN; OIL REFINERY AT LEIPZIG AND AN OIL DEPOT AT FREIHAM. ON MISSION #294, ON MARCH 22, 1945, AIRCRAFT 43-38630 SUSTAINED SERIOUS FLAK DAMAGE AND A SERIOUSLY WOUNDED TURRET GUNNER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND AT B-83, KNOCKE / LE ZOUTE, BELGIUM BUT AIRCRAFT WAS LATER SALVAGED. AWARDS INCLUDE THE AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS (3 AWARDS), GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (FOR NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE) AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE CARBINE MARKSMAN, PISTOL MARKSMAN, AERIAL GUNNER BADGE AND 2ND CLASS SUBMACHINE GUNNER. ISSUED 1 OVERSEAS SERVICE STRIPE AND THE RUPTURED DUCK LAPEL BUTTON FOR HONORABLE SERVICE. SERVICE SCHOOLS INCLUDED RADIO OPERATOR MECHANIC COURSE AT SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, GRADUATED JULY 8, 1944 AND GUNNERY SCHOOL AT YUMA, ARIZONA GRADUATED SEPTEMBER 2, 1944. SEPARATED AT FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS.