Lt. Colonel Carl J. Guerrein

Lt. Colonel Carl J. Guerrein

“During the war, on several missions, the stress was so great that I completely gave myself up to God, telling him that I couldn’t handle the strain and he would have to guide my actions and course. At this point, I became recognized as one of the most fearless of bombardiers. God benevolently brought me home without injury.”  This was the combat philosophy of young Erie native Carl J. Guerrein, the son of Carl C. Guerrein and Edith Arndt Guerrein.

 

Guerrein’s distinguished military career, rising from enlisted private to Lt. Colonel, started after graduation from Erie Academy High School and enlisting in the Army Air Corp Dec. 7, 1942.  He became part of the 8th Air Force 388th Bomb Group flying the B-17.  Guerrein flew 33 combat missions as a bombardier with 235 hours flight time; he was both division wing and lead bombardier, predominately with the crew of “Heaven’s Above.” He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters for heroism,  the European Campaign Medal with Silver Star, the World War II Victory Medal and was a member of the “LUCKY BASTARD’S CLUB,” bestowed by fellow airmen who had survived 25 missions. Guerrein also received an Army Commendation Ribbon in 1946.

 

Post war, his assignments included Director of Air Reconnaissance with the Alaskan Theatre Air Command;  Chief of Plans and Programs for the Air Research and Development Command (original cadre of the Strategic Air Command); and Plans and Program officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, from which he retired.  Guerrein amassed 4,600 hours of total flight time and maintained his flight status well into his administrative career, earning the Master Navigator title in 1960.

 

His 25-year- career spanned the wars of WWII, Korea and Vietnam as well as the Cuban Missile Crisis. He gave his best to the military, moving over 12 times, crisscrossing the country with each new assignment.

 

He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Lt. Colonel Guerrein’s blue wool flight suit, circa 1950, rugged looking after 1,500 hours of flight time, is part of a display at the National Museum of the USAF at Wright-Patterson AFB.