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

Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom

Object Number - 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...

Connections

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Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • 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
The nose art of a B-14 Liberator (serial number 44-40328) nicknamed "This Above All" of the 487th Bomb Group.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: This Above All
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 29 November 1944
  • Date: 5 November 1944
  • Date: 19 October 1944
  • Date: 17 October 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • 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

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Formation plan for 19 October 1944 - NARA

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Official Crash Report

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Officers of Attlebridge - 1944

Date
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

Harry C Merritt: Gallery (2 items)