Pilot 1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin, Jr KIA
Hometown: Nueces Co, Texas
Squadron: 68th Bomb Sq 44th Bomb Gp
Service# O-437436
Awards: Purple Heart
Target: St. Nazaire submarine pens
Mission Date: 3-Jan-43
Serial Number: # 41-23806
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name: BAT OUTA HELL
Location: Crash landed England
Cause: Fuel
Notes:
Crew of 9 3 KIA 7 Injured RTD
Another crew that crash-landed was a 68th Squadron aircraft piloted by Lt. Roy Erwin. The co-pilot, Lt. Clark Swanson died immediately. The pilot (Erwin) and navigator (Lt. Thomas Deavenport) died days later in hospital. All of the rest of the crew suffered injuries.
The primary target at St. Nazaire was the submarine pens and their stores. Thirteen of the 44th's aircraft were scheduled and took off but only eight managed to complete the formation and bomb the target. Our ships were following the B-17 formations, bombed, and continued following them out over the ocean and back towards England. However, the B-17s erred in their navigation, mistaking the Irish Sea for the English Channel, and extended the briefed time aloft. As our aircraft had not completely filled their fuel tanks, anticipating a short flight, our planes began running dangerously low on fuel. So our planes abandoned the B-17s and quickly sought airfields in southern Wales for emergency landings. Three of our crews were forced to crash-land before safe refuge could be found. The following aircraft and crew was involved in a crash-landing.
Lt. Erwin Crew
1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin Jr. Pilot
2nd/Lt. Clark E. Swanson Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. Thomas G. Deavenport Navigator
2nd/Lt. John J. Gavin Bombardier
S/Sgt Hylan V. Simmons Engineer
Sgt. Thomas A. Laskowski Jr. Radio Op.
Sgt. Delbert O. Perry Gunner
Sgt. George L. Kelsey Gunner
Sgt. Robert J. Reasoner
Hometown: Nueces Co, Texas
Squadron: 68th Bomb Sq 44th Bomb Gp
Service# O-437436
Awards: Purple Heart
Target: St. Nazaire submarine pens
Mission Date: 3-Jan-43
Serial Number: # 41-23806
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name: BAT OUTA HELL
Location: Crash landed England
Cause: Fuel
Notes:
Crew of 9 3 KIA 7 Injured RTD
Another crew that crash-landed was a 68th Squadron aircraft piloted by Lt. Roy Erwin. The co-pilot, Lt. Clark Swanson died immediately. The pilot (Erwin) and navigator (Lt. Thomas Deavenport) died days later in hospital. All of the rest of the crew suffered injuries.
The primary target at St. Nazaire was the submarine pens and their stores. Thirteen of the 44th's aircraft were scheduled and took off but only eight managed to complete the formation and bomb the target. Our ships were following the B-17 formations, bombed, and continued following them out over the ocean and back towards England. However, the B-17s erred in their navigation, mistaking the Irish Sea for the English Channel, and extended the briefed time aloft. As our aircraft had not completely filled their fuel tanks, anticipating a short flight, our planes began running dangerously low on fuel. So our planes abandoned the B-17s and quickly sought airfields in southern Wales for emergency landings. Three of our crews were forced to crash-land before safe refuge could be found. The following aircraft and crew was involved in a crash-landing.
Lt. Erwin Crew
1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin Jr. Pilot
2nd/Lt. Clark E. Swanson Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. Thomas G. Deavenport Navigator
2nd/Lt. John J. Gavin Bombardier
S/Sgt Hylan V. Simmons Engineer
Sgt. Thomas A. Laskowski Jr. Radio Op.
Sgt. Delbert O. Perry Gunner
Sgt. George L. Kelsey Gunner
Sgt. Robert J. Reasoner
Pilot 1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin, Jr KIA
Hometown: Nueces Co, Texas
Squadron: 68th Bomb Sq 44th Bomb Gp
Service# O-437436
Awards: Purple Heart
Target: St. Nazaire submarine pens
Mission Date: 3-Jan-43
Serial Number: # 41-23806
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name: BAT OUTA HELL
Location: Crash landed England
Cause: Fuel
Notes:
Crew of 9 3 KIA 7 Injured RTD
Another crew that crash-landed was a 68th Squadron aircraft piloted by Lt. Roy Erwin. The co-pilot, Lt. Clark Swanson died immediately. The pilot (Erwin) and navigator (Lt. Thomas Deavenport) died days later in hospital. All of the rest of the crew suffered injuries.
The primary target at St. Nazaire was the submarine pens and their stores. Thirteen of the 44th's aircraft were scheduled and took off but only eight managed to complete the formation and bomb the target. Our ships were following the B-17 formations, bombed, and continued following them out over the ocean and back towards England. However, the B-17s erred in their navigation, mistaking the Irish Sea for the English Channel, and extended the briefed time aloft. As our aircraft had not completely filled their fuel tanks, anticipating a short flight, our planes began running dangerously low on fuel. So our planes abandoned the B-17s and quickly sought airfields in southern Wales for emergency landings. Three of our crews were forced to crash-land before safe refuge could be found. The following aircraft and crew was involved in a crash-landing.
Lt. Erwin Crew
1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin Jr. Pilot
2nd/Lt. Clark E. Swanson Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. Thomas G. Deavenport Navigator
2nd/Lt. John J. Gavin Bombardier
S/Sgt Hylan V. Simmons Engineer
Sgt. Thomas A. Laskowski Jr. Radio Op.
Sgt. Delbert O. Perry Gunner
Sgt. George L. Kelsey Gunner
Sgt. Robert J. Reasoner
Hometown: Nueces Co, Texas
Squadron: 68th Bomb Sq 44th Bomb Gp
Service# O-437436
Awards: Purple Heart
Target: St. Nazaire submarine pens
Mission Date: 3-Jan-43
Serial Number: # 41-23806
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name: BAT OUTA HELL
Location: Crash landed England
Cause: Fuel
Notes:
Crew of 9 3 KIA 7 Injured RTD
Another crew that crash-landed was a 68th Squadron aircraft piloted by Lt. Roy Erwin. The co-pilot, Lt. Clark Swanson died immediately. The pilot (Erwin) and navigator (Lt. Thomas Deavenport) died days later in hospital. All of the rest of the crew suffered injuries.
The primary target at St. Nazaire was the submarine pens and their stores. Thirteen of the 44th's aircraft were scheduled and took off but only eight managed to complete the formation and bomb the target. Our ships were following the B-17 formations, bombed, and continued following them out over the ocean and back towards England. However, the B-17s erred in their navigation, mistaking the Irish Sea for the English Channel, and extended the briefed time aloft. As our aircraft had not completely filled their fuel tanks, anticipating a short flight, our planes began running dangerously low on fuel. So our planes abandoned the B-17s and quickly sought airfields in southern Wales for emergency landings. Three of our crews were forced to crash-land before safe refuge could be found. The following aircraft and crew was involved in a crash-landing.
Lt. Erwin Crew
1st/Lt. Roy B. Erwin Jr. Pilot
2nd/Lt. Clark E. Swanson Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. Thomas G. Deavenport Navigator
2nd/Lt. John J. Gavin Bombardier
S/Sgt Hylan V. Simmons Engineer
Sgt. Thomas A. Laskowski Jr. Radio Op.
Sgt. Delbert O. Perry Gunner
Sgt. George L. Kelsey Gunner
Sgt. Robert J. Reasoner
Inscription
1LT, 68 AAF BOMB SQ WORLD WAR II
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