Frederic Irwin was born on August 8th, 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Paul and Manola (Ness) Irwin.   He was educated in Pittsburgh and New York and was graduated from Trinity Preparatory School.   He later completed additional coursework at the Stock Exchange Institute and the American Institute for Banking.

Irwin's military career began on April 10th, 1941 when he joined the Army and was assigned as an artillery plotter.   On July 15th, 1942, he volunteered as an Aviation Cadet and was graduated on July 14th, 1943 as a navigator and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corp.   Following B-17 training in this country, he was assigned to the 333rd Bomb Squadron , 94th Bomb Group, of the Eighth Air Force.   His home base was Rougham Field at Bury St. Edmonds in England.   At the time the Eighth Air Force conducted the majority of daylight raids into German territory.   As a result, nearly one in ten Americans killed during World War II were members of the Eighth Air Force.

On his third combat mission, on December 30th, 1943, Lt. Irwin's B-17 sustained heavy damage from enemy aircraft and ground fire.   Flying on three engines, they were able to return to England but ran out of fuel before reaching their home base, subsequently crash landing in a pasture at St. Mary's in the Marsh.   The aircraft was totaled but the crew survived with various injuries.   Lt. Irwin's back was sprained as the aircraft crumpled around him.   In a debriefing following the crash, one of the crew members was quoted as saying, we thank our navigator for choosing and plotting a course that got us under fire so few times.   We could have come home on a course that would have taken us over a dozen ack-ack concentrations and I doubt we would have lived to tell the tale."

Less than two weeks after the St. Mary's crash, Lt. Irwin and his crew participated in one of the most important air raids of the war.   Writing about it in Life Magazine (Vol.16(4), Jan. 24, 1944), the reporter opened his article with the sentence: "One of the greatest air battles of history took place last week."   The magnitude of the mission can best be understood by considering the language of the General Order by which the War Department later cited the unit:

"The 94th Bombardment Group is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy in connection with the bombing operation over Brunswick, Germany, 11 January 1944.   On this 1,032 mile flight of 5 hours and 20 minutes the target was the Muhlenbau-u Industrie AG bomber components factory.   After assembling through multiple layers of cloud the 94th Bombardment Group led the 4th Combat Bombardment Group Wing through the antiaircraft defenses of Amsterdam, Lembruck, Wolfenbuttel, and Hanover.   [In] the target area accurate anti-aircraft fire and hostile fighters...damaged all but one aircraft of the formation.   On the initial approach to the target the objective could not be clearly identified.   Consequently, the group courageously executed a 360 degree turn alone, through exceedingly heavy concentrations of artillery fire and rockets, after the other two units originally composing the Combat Bombardment Wing had completed their single runs and started the return trip to England.   Despite vicious enemy fighter attacks the 94th Bombardment Group skillfully made a second run, successfully bombing the target from high altitude.   Forty-five and one-half tons of explosive bombs were dropped by this group, 73% of the bombs striking within 1,000 feet and 100% within 2,000 feet of the preassigned aiming point.   On its return flight, when enemy fighters attacks were most intense, the 94th Bombardment Group was without the cumulative fire power and mutual protection afforded by the combined elements of a combat bombardment wing.   Outnumber three to one by hostile fighters and with all but one of its aircraft damaged, this group returned to home base with the loss of but seven aircraft."

Unfortunately for Irwin, his aircraft was one of the seven shot down over Germany.  While still airborne, Irwin sustained multiple shrapnel wounds and the crash landing caused additional injury to his already damaged back.  Although badly wounded, he managed to pull himself out of the wreck through the pilot's window just a few seconds before the B-17 burst into flame.   A German patrol put him in the back of a truck and after what seemed like a tour of the countryside, he was taken to a hospital in Lingen.  This place was staffed by two French doctors and was apparently there to provide medical service for French workers in the area. The facilities were primitive but some of the shrapnel was removed and Irwin stayed there for about ten weeks.   His boots had been stolen earlier and his blood-soaked clothing discarded.   He was given an old German uniform to wear but no gloves, no head covering or outer garments.

Together with some other prisoners, Irwin was taken by train to Dulag Luft for interrogation.  After 48 hours of mistreatment in this facility, the prisoners were taken to an assembly area in Frankfurt and eventually by rail to Stalag Luft One near Barth.   Irwin remained in this prison camp for about a year with no professional medical treatment, inadequate clothing and little food until the camp was liberated by the advancing Russian Army on May 13th, 1945.   By this time, Irwin's weight had dropped from 160 pounds to 105.   After a few weeks at a camp in France, Irwin was returned to the United States aboard a Navy Transport.   Following leave at home, he was assigned to Ellington Field, Texas, for refresher navigator training and then as a navigation training officer at Morrison Field, Florida.  He decided to apply for duty in Europe and was assigned to the Allied High Commission in Rome, Italy.   While home on leave before departing, one of the shrapnel wounds in his abdomen required surgery which was done at the United States Coast Academy hospital in New London, Connecticut.   He finally reported for duty in Italy on February 1st, 1947.   Later that year, Irwin was transferred to the office of Military Government in Wiesbaden, Germany.   The following year he was assigned again as a navigator with the 14th Troop Carrier Squadron flying on the Berlin Airlift.  He returned to the United States and was released from active duty on July 13th, 1948 and transferred to the Inactive Reserve.

At this time, Irwin settled in Connecticut and began his business career as a founder of the Vocaline Company of America.   Later, in New York, he was treasurer for US Industries and following that, he established his own financial advisory firm.   In the fall of 1950 during the Korean War, Irwin was recalled to active duty but after medical evaluation, he was retired for physical disability at the grade of Captain, United States Air Force.   Later, Irwin, and his wife Catherine, owned and operated a women's clothing shop in Niantic, Connecticut until their retirement in 1995.   Frederic Irwin died on December 16th, 1996.   His remains were interred at Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.

--- Presented by Gerald F. Kercher at the dedication of the Catherine D. and Frederic W. Irwin Collection at Connecticut College on November 12, 1999.