100TH BOMB GROUP SHORT SNORTER

The Short Snorter Project will be exhibiting at the ANA National Money Show in Colorado Springs March 14-16. The ANA is graciously providing 5 tables for the exhibit and, for ease of setup and directions, I have been assigned Table 100.

I woke up in the middle of the night and thought to dedicate the exhibit to the 100th Bombardment Group which coincides with the release of The Masters of the Air on Apple TV+ last month. Masters of the Air is based upon characters who flew B-17s with the 100th Bomb Group ("The Bloody Hundredth") which operated out of Thorpe Abbotts airfield in England. (My uncle was a B-17 navigator in the 384th Bomb Group which operated out of Grafton-Underwood.)

Donn Pearlman wrote a press release for the ANA which I forwarded to the 100th Bomb Group Foundation and I received an email back from Director Chris Barrett who shared the attached short snorter that belonged to his wife's great uncle, Flight Officer Harry Edeburn, who was a co-pilot with the 100th BG and succumbed to his wounds on September 6, 1943. We are putting together another new exhibit that will be on display in Colorado Springs. If you have been watching Masters of the Air, so far they have mentioned the names of 5 men who signed the Edeburn snorter: Marasco, Barnhill, Adams, Schmalenbach, and Van Noy. There was 100% casualty rate for the men who signed this snorter. Amazing stuff!

Flight Officer Harry E. Edeburn entered service in July, 1941, and completed his advanced pilot training at Moody Field, Valdosta, Georgia, Class of 43-B. He went overseas to England in May, 1943, and was stationed at Thorpe Abbots assigned to the 349th Bombardment Squadron. He flew thirteen bombing missions and was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters and (posthumously) the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart. He was the co-pilot for Sumner Reeder in B-17F # 42-30088 named SQUAWKIN' HAWK. Flying a temporarily assigned plane that was damaged by German fighters over Stuttgart, Germany, on September 6, 1943, they returned and landed at an RCAF base. Edeburn died of his wounds and is buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery in England.

Short Snorter Harry (Harry Edeburn – KIA on September 6, 1943) Russell W. Engel - WIA (unable to fly after September 6, 1943) – Navigator of SQUAWKIN' HAWK.
Peter F. Delao - WIA (unable to fly after September 6, 1943) – Bombardier of SQUAWKIN' HAWK.
S. H. Reeder (Sumner Reeder) - WIA (unable to fly for 3 months after September 6, 1943) – Pilot of SQUAWKIN' HAWK. (Died in a stateside crash after completing his combat missions.)
J. M. Odegaard – KIS (training flight) – Sumner Reeder's original co-pilot (before all 100th's original co-pilots were transferred out en masse).
James Marasco – POW – Original tail gunner of SQUAWKIN' HAWK. Shot down on November 5, 1943.
Francis G. Dolsen – POW – Ball turret gunner of SQUAWKIN' HAWK. Shot down on November 5, 1943.
George Z. Krech – KIA on 100th's 1st mission, June 25, 1943. – George was Harry's Class of 43-B classmate and co-pilot for Pelt Adams.
W. B. Barnhill (Woodrow B. Barnhill) – KIA July 16, 1943, in takeoff accident at Thorpe Abbotts during local formation practice mission.
Geo. W. Cox - KIA on 100th's 1st mission, June 25, 1943. – George was Harry's Class of 43-B classmate and co-pilot for Paul Schmalenbach.
Pelt Adams (Alonzo Pelton Adams) – KIA on 100th's 1st mission, June 25, 1943. Pelt was the pilot of B-17 named ANGEL'S TIT.
Paul J. Schmalenbach – KIA on 100th's 1st mission, June 25, 1943. Paul piloted B-17 named BAR FLY.
James. B. Evans – POW – Jim was Harry's Class of 43-B classmate and co-pilot for Glen Van Noy.
Glen S. Van Noy – POW – Glen piloted B-17 OH NAUSEA which ditched in the Mediterranean Sea on the August 17, 1943 (Regensberg mission).

As part of that Colorado Springs trip, I am giving a lecture about the short snorter tradition at the U.S. Air Force Academy on March 14th to a History of the Second World War class of cadets.