Maurice Victor Henry
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Kneeling: Pitelka (B), Childs (N, shot down with another crew 1943-10-14, evaded), DeMille (CP), Morrison (P)
Object Number - UPL 65719 - Original Morrison Crew (possibly training at stateside location). Standing: Bucher, MIA 1943-11-26), Engwer (BT), Striesfeld (RO), Burger (Eng/TT),...
Shot down 26 November 1943 in B-17 #42-5051 'Barrel House Bessie'. T/Sgt Maurice Henry was Top Turret Gunner on this Fortress, which ditched into the North Sea after being hit by Flak. Besides being posthumously awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, T/Sgt Henry was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). His citation for the DSC reads : "Maurice V. Henry, 37205337, Technical Sergeant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For valor above and beyond the call of duty while participating in an operational mission over Germany on 26 November 1943, T/Sgt Henry's display of courage, coolness, skill and self-negation in the presence of great hazard and uncertainty, with utter disregard of his own personal safety, made possible the rescue of seven members of his crew although by his actions he is missing and presumed to have perished. Further details published in: Valor: The Saga of Barrel House Bessie by John L. Frisbee, AirandSpaceForces.com. See attached media
Connections
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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: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13067778
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32373835
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36255285
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 812th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14006633 at enlistment, then O-406671
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19085247 at enlistment, then O-738778
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flak House
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Barrel House Bessie
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 303rd Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 26 November 1943
- Date: 16 November 1943
![An Illustration of the Wilhelmshaven raid, 3 November 1943. Image stamped on reverse: '10 Nov 1943.' [stamp], '292478.'[Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'THE BIGGEST EVER DAY RAID: By US Fortresses and Liberators on Wilhelmshaven- escorted all the way by fighters. Special Sphere drawings. THE SCENE OVER WILHELMSHAVEN JUST AS OUT BOMBERS WERE LEAVING THE TARGET ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMVER 3RD. AFTER THE BIGGEST DAYLIGHT RAID EVER CARRIED OUT OVER GERMANY. IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND OF THIS DRAWING, LIGHTNING](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-418517.jpg.webp?itok=KjJP-yi2)
- Date: 3 November 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
14 July 1914 | Ravenwood, Nodaway County, Missouri | |
|
Died Missing In Action (MIA) |
26 November 1943 | Plane was damaged by flak and ditched in the North Sea near the English coast. T/Sgt Henry was swept away and lost. Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his valorous actions on his final mission. MACR 1579 | |
|
Other Memorial |
Cambridge, England | Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England: Tablets of the Missing |
Revisions
MACR 1579
WWII Casualties for Nodaway County, Missouri
ABMC website
"Heritage of Valor" by Colonel Budd J. Peaslee (J. B. Lippincott Cy, 1964 - pages 285-287
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1579 / MACR 1579, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
