This past Independence Day, we received a short notice opportunity to participate in a radio show focused on sharing traditional American values. "Up With America" is hosted by Tom Herron on 94.5FM in Myrtle Beach, SC. In preparing for the live interview, Tom shared the incredible story about his father's service in World War 2.
Joe Shamess live radio interview clip with Tom Herron - Up With America
Tom's Father, Don Pershing Herron, was a "Hump" Pilot. Most Americans have never heard of a Hump Pilot nor the important missions they flew. These brave pilots created a critical "air bridge" to resupply the Chinese war effort and Army Air Corps forces operating out of China. This was a real challenge given the nature of the terrain and weather conditions. Like so many unsung heroes of wars past, it's critically important we share these stories so that the American ethos of serving others may endure.
"Don Pershing Herron (1918 - 1999) was born in Illinois, but moved to Cleveland, Ohio as a baby.
He enlisted in the USArmy Air Corps Summer of 1941 - was based at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, AL.
Called his girl, Josephine Townsend, in Ohio, the afternoon of December 7, 1941, who boarded a train a couple weeks later to marry him on the base before he was shipped out of town and then overseas.
Assigned to the Air Transport Command in 1943, he spent a year or so ferrying all sorts of aircraft to all sorts of places around the world, before being assigned to the Pacific Theater as a Hump Pilot, where he completed 67 missions from India & Burma to China and back over the Himalayas in C-47s and C-46s.
After the war, he worked for Northwest Airlines until 1956, when hired by the Martin Company to become director of PR at Martin-Denver, where they had just begun building the Titan Missile. Remained with the Company through the merger to become Martin-Marietta and ended up first head of PR and Pentagon liaison in Washington, and finally as assistant to the president of MM in Bethesda.
In 1979, he joined his son Tom to open Herron & Associates (advertising and PR) and retired in 1984 to Maryland's Eastern Shore. He passed away in May of 1999 at 80." (Tom Herron)
Lt Don P Herron, Circa 1943
Final Flight - Crashed on Takeoff - All Survived
Don Herron, Jaci Herron, Tom Herron, Jo Herron
