Henry M. Henington
100th BG Photo Archives (Official USAF Photo)

I graduated from high school in 1939 and in 1940 having worked in oil fields two previous summers, enrolled at University of Texas to study petroleum engineering. In October, my father died of a heart attack at age forty‑nine. I returned to be with my mother and brother and attended the University of Houston while working for Hughes Tool Co. manufacturing drilling equipment.

Dec 7, 1941 in the Majestic Theater, the lights came up and they announced, “Pearl Harbor has been attacked.” After a long silence everyone exited the theater. Three friends and myself walked to the courthouse to join the Marines. The line was out the door, down the block and growing. Thinking we could enlist tomorrow we started back to the car when from out of a news type stand at the curb came, “You men want to fly?’ The Army Sergeant had us complete a short form; Name, Address, Phone, Birth Date, Education.

In Jan. 1942 took physical exam. In Feb. directed to report to Preflight Santa Anna CA. In March I was put in a tent, given a rifle, a physical, shots, and lots of marching, drilling, parading, reviewing, KP and inspections. All this made a short time seem very long. The only airplanes were three P38’s that flew over our last review. May, 1942 Primary Ryan PT21’s San Diego, CA. Basic BT 13’s Minter Fld, CA., Advanced AT9’s Victorville, CA.

Graduated and commissioned Nov. 25, 1942 and ordered to first B17 transition class Hobbs Fld, NM. I reported and asked Katherine Dunn, my high school sweetheart, if she would come to Hobbs and marry me? We were married at Lovington, NM 27 Dec 1942. In Feb. I went to phase one crew training Blythe, CA. Wives could not go as there were no accommodations. They joined us for phase two at Peyote, TX and stayed in the hotel at Pecos. Then to phase three at Dalhart, TX. Katherine and Homer Tripp’s wife, Ruth went ahead and called to say they were in the Good Hotel, the only hotel in Dalhart. We asked if it was nice, they could only say “it’s clean.” We completed training late in May and flew to Kearney, Neb. to pick up new B 17’s and take instrument flight check.

Katherine and Rosalie Kelly drove to be with us. We were only there a few days; the last night at the O club there were tears aplenty. Rosalie and Katherine drove to Oklahoma City where Katherine took the train to Houston to live with her parents.

The Osburn Provisional Gp deployed to UK via Bangor, MA, BW2 Greenland, Meeks Fld., Iceland, Stornoway Scotland, at Bovington England the crew was assigned to the 100’ BmGp Thorpe Abbotts. Owen D. Roane’s, John D. Justice’s crew and mine were assigned to 349‘1’ BmSq in late June 1943.

During 4 July through 31 Dec 1943 I flew 25 combat missions as pilot.

1^st Mission 4 July (the 100th' s 5th mission) La Pallice Fr. Sub pens. Route to target stayed over water around Brest and bombs were released over water, weather clear, there was Anti Aircraft Artillery AAA and Fighters FTRS. One B 17 went down, my copilot Hormer Tripp “S... you could get hurt doing this”. Failed To Return FTR (1 FTR). (Duration 10:30)

2^nd Mission 17 July Hamburg Gr. Did Not Bomb DNB Target Area Cloud Covered TACC. (Duration 5:00)

3^rd Mission 24 July Tronheim Norway. Longest B17 raid ever. Me109’s got #3 engine 200 miles prior to the target, aborted low fuel. Gauges reading empty on landing FTRS. (Duration 11:00)

4^th Mission 26 July Hanover Gr. DNB formation mixup, weather. (Duration 5:15).

5^th Mission 28 July Oscherleben Gr. DNB TALC. (Duration 5:30)

6^th Mission 12 Aug. Bonn Gr. TACC bombed secondary tgt. (Duration 5:30)

7^th Mission 15 Aug. Merville‑Lille Fr. Hit both airfields. (Duration 4:00)

8^th Mission 17 Aug. Regensburg Gr. Me109 factory after two hours of fighter attacks during which we lost an engine. Excellent bombing, flew across Mediterranean landed Algeria (9FTR) AAA and FTRS (Duration 11:10) On 19 Aug. flew from Algeria (my first 3 engine take off) to Marra Kech Moracco for engine change (5:10). 25 Aug. returned to Thorpe Abbotts (10:00) . Presented DFC for Regensburg raid by Colonel LeMay, Commander 3‘d Air Division.

9^th Mission 31 Aug. Le Mureau Fr. DNB TACO. (Duration 6:00)

10^th Mission 3 Sept. Paris Fr. Renault engine plant. Hit by flack after bomb release, #3 engine on fire, another lost turbo and another prop ran away, made a diving spiral to fool fighters, it worked at critique several crews reported “they spun down in flames.” We would have bailed out, but flack hit and unpacked two chutes, we carried a spare but that left us one short. 1 gave crew OK to bail out and that I was going to ditch if it didn’t blow up. Still on fire leveled at 4000’, started a slow descent crossing coast near Deppe at 500’ and ditched eight miles off shore. No injuries, the aircraft floated three hours. Six crewmembers were picked up by two RAF Walrus Seaplanes (Bi wing, single pusher prop). The four remaining to go in the third Walrus, but could not get airborne. The left pontoon had taken water and we could only circle. We were taken aboard a Royal Navy PT boat that took the Walrus in tow for a slow channel crossing. From ten minutes after our ditching till the PT boat was halfway to port we had constant cover of 3 to 5 spits. Due to heavy after mission communications, we could not contact our base. Next morning the RAF flew us home to learn we were (MIA shot down over France). AAA and FTRS (5 FTR). (Duration 5:00) 9 Sept. promoted to 1st Lt.

11^th Mission 2 Oct. Emden Gr. My first ‑ Path Finder _Fix PFF Mission, we could now bomb when TACO. (Duration 6:15)

12^th Mission 8 Oct. Bremen Gr. Flack got 2 engines at bomb release. The exit route turned right from target, I turned left to avoid AAA and FTRS as we feathered engines heading for North Sea. We avoided the flack but fighters climbing from North, not fooled by wounded duck trick. We leveled at 2000’ and they attacked from side angle pursuit curve patterns. Turning into them as they banked to come in caused them to break off attack, not fire or miss. They broke off when we were over water at 300’. We had visible fuel leaks confirmed by gauges. Jettisoned guns, ammo, armor, flack vests, bombsight and radios. Crossed English Coast at 1000’ the engines died on landing roll, had to be towed to hard stand. (7 FTR). ( Duration 6:00)

13^th Mission 20 Oct. Duren Gr PFF Mission. (Duration 7:30)

14^th Mission 5 Nov. Gelsen Kirchen Gr. AAA and FTRS (1 FTR) and one returned with only pilot and dead co‑pilot. Crew had bailed out over enemy territory. (Duration 5:30)

15^th Mission 7 Nov. Duren Gr. PFF Mission. (Duration 6:00)

16thMission 13‘” Nov. Bremen Gr. lost one engine to flack and Joe Kelly Bombardier wounded. A small fragment of flack penetrated heavy flight jacket, flack vest, flight suit, wool uniform shirt, electric suit, sweatshirt, undershirt and a small amount of ole Joe’s hide. The only crewmember ever wounded. AAA and FTRS. (Duration 7:30)

17^th Mission 19 Nov. Gelsen Kirchen Gr. PFF Mission to be led by Major Turner, he aborted, I took lead and we dropped on wings lead PFF. Only one aircraft in each group was PFF equipped. Big flap at Division debrief, my Navigator said we (13‘” Combat Wing) had not bombed the target. The Lt. Col. Wing leader had already briefed that they had. He blurted out “that’s a lie!” General LeMay sat him down. Division already had underground photos and they were not of the target. LeMay congratulated our crew noting the officers were all Lts. AAA and FTRS. (Duration 5:45).

18^th Mission 26 Nov. Paris received flack damage over target. Awarded first cluster to DFC. Citation noted missions flown on 13 ‘h, 19‘”, and 26 Nov. AAA and FTRS (3FTR). (Duration 6:00)

19^th Mission 29 Nov. Bremen Gr. PFF Mission. (Duration 6:15)

20^th Mission 11 Dec. Emden Gr AAA and FRTS (1FTR). (Duration 5:20)

21^st Mission 13 Dec. Keil Gr. PFF Mission. (Duration 7:15)

22^nd Mission 22 Dec. Munster Gr. (Duration 6:00)

23^rd Mission 24 Dec. No Ball Fr. V‑2 Buzz Bomb launchers aimed at London. Bombed from 12,000’, smoked cigarette on bomb run. Light inaccurate AAA and only P51’s and P47’s in the air. (Duration 4:00) Promoted to captain 25 Dec. 1943.

24^th  Mission 30 Dec Ludwigshaven Gr. AAA and FTRS. Lost one engine and turbo on another (2FTR). (Duration 8:00)

25^th Mission 31 Dec. Paris Fr. Some jokers at briefing sang “The Last Time I saw Paris” knowing that on my two previous Paris missions 8FTR including the one I left in the channel. AAA and FTRS all aircraft returned and bombing results were excellent. (Duration 5:30) A‑MEN. For completing 25 Missions received second cluster to DFC and the Air Medal with three clusters, this was SOP. I was required to stay three months and work in group operations.

In April 1944 returned to Katherine and Drew Fld. Fla. and assigned as section Commander training B17 crews till wars end. Then to Biggs Fld. Tx. 1st Tow Target Squadron providing targets for all anti‑aircraft artillery training in the US. Also targets for all aerial gunnery training for US based fighters. The primary tow aircraft were A26’s. It was here in 1947 that 1 received regular Army Commission. In 1949 reported Great Falls for C54 transition enroute to Berlin Airlift where I was an IP, flight Commander and operations officer. When the lift ended received fourth cluster to Air Medal for flying over 100 trips to Berlin. In 1950 began training to become a B47 aircraft commander. First to Ellington for Navigation then Mather for radar navigation and bombing. It’s now 1951 and T33 transition at Wichita Ka enroute to 306’hBmWg at McDill Fld. Fla. who was scheduled to receive the first B47’s. In 1951 was B47 IP and Squadron OPS officer.

In Sept. 52 we adopted Lance at birth and in 1953 were transferred to Lockborne AFB. First to check out pilots of the 915th Wg converting to the RB47’s. Then to the newly formed 27th Strat Recon Wg. I was given Command of the 3rd, Recon SQ that deployed detachments to Alaska “to fly missions of greatest importance to the United States.” For these missions General LeMay presented 5th Cluster to Air Medal. I was moved to Wg DO. In 1956 to 8th AF HQ Westover AFB as Chief of Combat Operations (war plans). In 1958 we adopted Frank at birth and were transferred to Air Force Academy as Wing Air Officer Commanding. In 1959 promoted to permanent Colonel and assigned to Pentagon for three years with JCS. Then to AF HQ as Chief of Reconnaissance Operations. It was here that we adopted Jennie Lu who was almost a year and a half old. In 1966 to 15th AF HQ March Fld. as DI. In 1970 to 5th AF HQ Japan with duty as DI for 5th ADVON, KOREA. Returned to Randolph and retired in Mar. 1971.

From 71 till July 1996 owned and operated the Double H Quarter Horse Ranch near Seguin east of San Antonio. We bred, trained and showed horses. During this time the children graduated. Lance 48 the eldest now lives with his wife Jan at their ranch on Cedar Creek near Austin Tx. Frank manages The Market (antiques and fine furniture) in San Antonio. Jennie Lu 40 the youngest and her husband Tim Reily with their daughters Anna, 8 and Jessie Lynn 6, live on their ranch near Seguin. They raise Tyson’s chickens, cattle, quarter horses and dogs while Jennie Lu teaches high school.

In 1996 we sold our ranch and moved to Air Force Village II near Lackland AFB. We have two horses boarded close by and really enjoy having our children and grandchildren so near. We dine and dance often at Lackland’s and Randolph’s clubs.

Katherine and Henry Henington
5100 John D. Ryan Blvd. #2310
San Antonio, Tx. 78245|

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