Henry E . Erwin Henry Eugene " Red " Erwin , Sr . , ( May 8 , 1921 – January 16 , 2002 ) was a United States Army Air Forces airman and a recipient of the U . S . military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in World War II . He earned the award as a staff sergeant and radio operator aboard a B - 29 Superfortress in the Asia - Pacific theater . During a 1945 bombing mission over Koriyama , Japan , a phosphorus bomb prematurely exploded in his aircraft and seriously wounded him . As smoke filled the plane , he picked up the burning device and carried it through the aircraft to the cockpit where he tossed it out a window . Although he suffered severe burns , he successfully saved his plane by disposing of the smoke - generating bomb . Military service . Born on May 8 , 1921 , in Adamsville , Alabama , Erwin joined the Army Reserve from nearby Bessemer on July 27 , 1942 . Called to active duty as an aviation cadet in the Army Air Forces on February 3 , 1943 , he trained as a pilot in Ocala , Florida , but washed out due to " flying deficiency " . He was instead transferred to technical school at Keesler Air Force Base , Mississippi , as a private first class in July of that year . He completed further radio operator and radio mechanic training in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , and Madison , Wisconsin , until his graduation in 1944 . Assigned to the 52nd Bombardment Squadron , 29th Bombardment Group , 20th Air Force , in Dalhart , Texas , Erwin and his unit left for the Asia - Pacific theater in early 1945 . From February 25 to April 1 of that year , they participated in a series of un - escorted bombing strikes against cities in the heart of Japan . For these missions , Erwin , by then a staff sergeant , received two Air Medal s . Medal of Honor action . On April 12 , 1945 , Erwin , called " Red " by his crewmates , was serving as the radio operator aboard a B - 29 Superfortress named " City of Los Angeles , " piloted by Captain George Simeral . The plane was in formation for a low - level attack on a chemical plant at Koriyama , north of Tokyo , on their 11th combat mission . Along with their primary jobs , the twelve B - 29 crew members had additional duties to perform . Erwin ' s was to drop phosphorus smoke bomb s through a chute in the aircraft ' s floor when the lead plane reached a designated assembly area . He was given the signal to drop the bombs when the aircraft was just off the south coast of Japan and under attack by anti - aircraft fire and Japanese fighters . Erwin pulled the pin and released a bomb into the chute , but the fuse malfunctioned and ignited the phosphorus prematurely , burning at 1 , 100 degrees . The canister flew back up the chute and into Erwin ' s face , blinding him , searing off one ear and obliterating his nose . Smoke immediately filled the aircraft , making it impossible for the pilot to see his instrument panel . Erwin was afraid the bomb would burn through the metal floor into the bomb bay . Completely blind , he picked it up and feeling his way , crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot ' s window . His face and arms were covered with ignited phosphorus and his path was blocked by the navigator ' s folding table , hinged to the wall but down and locked . The navigator had left his table to make a sighting . Erwin couldn ' t release the table ' s latches with one hand , so he grabbed the white - hot bomb between his bare right arm and his ribcage . In the few seconds it took to raise the table , the phosphorus burned through his flesh to the bone . His body on fire , he stumbled into the cockpit , threw the bomb out the window and collapsed between the pilot ' s seats . The smoke cleared enough for Simeral to pull the B - 29 out of a dive at above the water and turn toward Iwo Jima , where Erwin could be given emergency treatment . His crew members extinguished his burning clothes and administered first aid , but whenever Erwin ' s burns were uncovered , phosphorus embedded in his skin would begin to smolder . Although in excruciating pain , he remained conscious throughout the flight and spoke only to inquire about the safety of the crew . Once at Iwo Jima , medical personnel didn ' t believe he would survive . Army Air Force officials , led by Major General Curtis LeMay and Brigadier General Lauris Norstad , approved Erwin ' s award of the Medal of Honor in a matter of hours , so a presentation could be made while he still lived . A medal was flown from Hawaii to Guam and presented to him in the hospital there . However , Erwin survived his burns . He was flown back to the United States , and after 30 months and 41 surgeries , his eyesight was restored and he regained use of one arm . He was given a disability discharge as a master sergeant in October 1947 . In addition to the Medal of Honor and two Air Medals received earlier in 1945 , he was also awarded the Purple Heart , the World War II Victory Medal , the American Campaign Medal , three Good Conduct Medal s , the Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze campaign stars ( for participation in the Air Offensive Japan and Western Pacific campaigns ) , and the Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem . Later life . For 37 years , Erwin served as a benefits counselor at the veterans ' hospital in Birmingham , Alabama . In 1951 , his story was included in the movie " The Wild Blue Yonder ; " Erwin was portrayed by Dave Sharpe . In 1997 , the Air Force created the Henry E . Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member of the Year Award . It is presented annually to an airman , noncommissioned officer and senior noncommissioned officer in the flight engineering , loadmaster , air surveillance and related career fields . It is only the second Air Force award named for an enlisted person . Erwin died at his home on January 16 , 2002 , and was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham , Alabama . His son , Hank Erwin , became an Alabama state senator . Medal of Honor citation . Erwin ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : He was the radio operator of a B - 29 airplane leading a group formation to attack Koriyama , Japan . He was charged with the additional duty of dropping phosphoresce smoke bombs to aid in assembling the group when the launching point was reached . Upon entering the assembly area , aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition was encountered . Among the phosphoresce bombs launched by S / Sgt . Erwin , 1 proved faulty , exploding in the launching chute , and shot back into the interior of the aircraft , striking him in the face . The burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose and completely blinded him . Smoke filled the plane , obscuring the vision of the pilot . S / Sgt . Erwin realized that the aircraft and crew would be lost if the burning bomb remained in the plane . Without regard for his own safety , he picked it up and feeling his way , instinctively , crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot ' s window . He found the navigator ' s table obstructing his passage . Grasping the burning bomb between his forearm and body , he unleashed the spring lock and raised the table . Struggling through the narrow passage he stumbled forward into the smoke - filled pilot ' s compartment . Groping with his burning hands , he located the window and threw the bomb out . Completely aflame , he fell back upon the floor . The smoke cleared , the pilot , at 300 feet , pulled the plane out of its dive . S / Sgt . Erwin ' s gallantry and heroism above and beyond the call of duty saved the lives of his comrades .