Harry C Merritt
Military
media-6988.jpeg
UPL 6988
Crew #671
Harry C. Merritt Crew
466th BG - 786th BS
Standing Left to Right: William Estep (FE), William G. Ballantine (N), Harry C. Merritt (P), Richard L. Humphries (B), Anthony Carras (CP)
Kneeling Left to Right: James Gianinni (G), Earl W. Schilling (G), Michael Gelesh (TG),
Missing from photo: Charles H. Woodruff (G), Garland Young (G)
This crew completed a 35 combat mission tour: 14 October 1944 - 20 March 1945
Harry C. Merritt Crew
466th BG - 786th BS
Standing Left to Right: William Estep (FE), William G. Ballantine (N), Harry C. Merritt (P), Richard L. Humphries (B), Anthony Carras (CP)
Kneeling Left to Right: James Gianinni (G), Earl W. Schilling (G), Michael Gelesh (TG),
Missing from photo: Charles H. Woodruff (G), Garland Young (G)
This crew completed a 35 combat mission tour: 14 October 1944 - 20 March 1945
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-125178
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-767993
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39570731
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33764878
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: T-2851
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Reliable Babe
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Ma's Lil Angel
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 491st Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: This Above All
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 24 December 1944
- Date: 29 November 1944
- Date: 5 November 1944
- Date: 19 October 1944
- Date: 17 October 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Crash Landing |
Attlebridge, Norwich, Norfolk NR9, UK | 24 December 1944 | "We arrived over the field in formation with #1 engine feathered. After peeling off, we circled the field and called for landing instructions. We made a normal approach to the field; while in the final approach the tower sent an aircraft in the landing pattern ahead of us, around again. We hit the prop wash of this aircraft as we were about to land. This caused our left wing to dip, therefore we added power to counteract the effect of the propwash and to bring the wing up. We were unable to gain enough airspeed to go around, so we cut our power and landed long. To avoid hitting an aircraft that had landed in front of us we swerved off to the right. In doing so the left landing gear collapsed, swinging us to the left. We then collided with the other aircraft, knocking the nose turret off in the process of the collision. No one was injured in either aircraft." Harry C. Merritt in reporting the reason for his crash. |
Detroit, MI, USA | 13107 Kercheval Avenue |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom & Brassfield, page 348