Eric Herbert Sherman
MilitaryAdded photo
(Adapted from the obituary in The San Diego Union Tribune, 23 September 2008)
Born and raised in Illinois, Eric Sherman moved to San Diego in March of 1941 where he met and married a sweet local girl, Ethel Currier. He worked for the Southern California Telephone Company from June of 1941 until he entered the Army Air Force Cadet Program in March of 1942.
Made a 2nd Lieutenant, he was assigned to the 446th Bomb Group on 3 June 1943 at Alamagordo, New Mexico. Sent to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado for further training, he accompanied the air echelon to Europe.
Eric became a B-24 lead pilot in the 8th Air Force’s 446th Bomber Group in England. He flew his first mission on 16 December 1943 and was shot down on his 28th mission on 21 July 1944, piloting B-24 “Quivering Box” # 42-100315.
Immediately captured after landing in parachute, he was made a Prisoner of War (POW) and interned at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Northern Germany. The camp was liberated by the Russian Army in May 1945.
Repatriated to the USA, Eric returned to civilian life and his career at the telephone company in San Diego in January of 1947. He retired from the telephone company (Pacific Bell) and from the Air Force Reserves in 1980 as a Lt. Colonel.
Eric loved sports and played locally AAA and AA fast pitch softball. He belonged to Torrey Pines, Coronado and Balboa Golf Courses and a couple of local bowling leagues.
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14161707
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32479033
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32360814
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11117390
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39540933
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Evanston, Illinois | 21 July 1919 | the son of Eric A. and Hedwig S. Sherman |
Enlisted |
Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California, United States | 4 March 1942 | as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corps |
Other captured |
near Tholen, The Netherlands | 21 July 1944 | Immediately arrested after landing in parachute |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
21 July 1944 | Interned at Stalag Luft 1, North 2 Compound, Barrack 7, Room 12 Barth, Germany. | |
Died |
La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States | 17 September 2008 | |
San Diego, California, United States | |||
Buried |
Greenwood National Park, San Diego, California, United States |
Revisions
MACR 7250
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
US 1940 Census
MACR 7250
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
US 1940 Census
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, MACR 7250 & Page 406 in the book 2ND AIR DIVISIONby Turner Publishing Company, 1998 edition (D790.A2S45); The History of the 446th Bomb Group (H), pg 15