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| B-25 pilot Captain Edward Irving served in the 28th Bomb Group based out of Alaska. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150022319 https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2016/11/05/the-war-after-attu-anchorage-historian-writes-the-first-history-of-air-battle-launched-from-alaska/ |
Edward was born June 17, 1919 in Pamplin, Virginia. His parents Frank and Lacie were also born in Virginia. Edward was an only child. His father worked as a farmer and as a mail carrier. In 1940, Edward had completed three years of high school and was living at home with his parents in Clover Hill, Virginia.
Edward enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in January 1941 and rose to the rank of Captain in the 77th Bombardment Squadron of the 28th Bomb Group. The 77th was one of the first USAAC units assigned to Alaska and was initially based out of Elmendorf Field near Anchorage, flying B-26 Marauder and B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. After Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Alaska. When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 1942, the squadron was reassigned to Fort Glenn Army Airfield on Adak Island, and began combat missions to destroy enemy shipping in and around the Aleutians, and attack enemy installations on Kiska and Attu. After the Aleutians were recaptured by the US, the 77th took part in the bombardment of the Japanese Kurile islands.
On 9 June 1945 Cpt. Irving was piloting one of eight B-25 Mitchell bombers that took off from Attu tasked to bomb Araido Island to divert enemy attention while a US Navy task force approached to shell nearby Japanese military installations. After releasing their bombs and turning back for Attu, the bombers were attacked by a swarm of enemy fighters. Taking evasive action to elude the fighters, Cpt. Irving’s aircraft inadvertently strayed over Cape Lopatka on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, and was fired upon by Russian air defenses. Ground fire hit the B-25’s bomb-bay fuel tank and the resulting explosion blew out the top gun turret and flames erupted from the cavity. The aircraft quickly went out of control and crashed and exploded, with no survivors. Cpt. Irving was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross during his service and, posthumously, the Purple Heart.
Edward Jamerson Irving was initially buried close to the crash site by Russian soldiers. He was later reinterred in Gilliam Cemetery on the family farm in Pamplin, Virginia.
Thank you Cpt. Irving for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Edward.
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This profile was written by Bob Fuerst. "I’m a NASA engineer, B-17 Flying Fortress enthusiast, and amateur genealogist so this kind of research is an ideal outlet for me. But more than anything, it’s a way to express my sincere appreciation for The Greatest Generation and the sacrifices that they made, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and I’m grateful to Don for allowing me to play a small part in honoring them."
Last year on this date I profiled B-24 gunner Louis Kne and his brother Joseph. You can read about Louis and Joseph here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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