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231014 T/Sgt Samuel Clinton Ferrell United States Army Air Forces 338th Bomb Squadron 96th Bomb Group from:614 3rd Ave., Montgomery, WV TSgt. Samuel C. 'Sam' Ferrell graduated from Gauley Bridge High School in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia in the late 1930's. He then enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts Degree Program at the West Virginia Institute of Technology, paying $400 for his tuition and completing his degree in 1943.
He was subsequently promoted to TSgt based upon his advanced education, and was assigned as a Squadron Flight Engineer on the B-17G.
Sam & his crew picked-up their factory fresh B-17 from Seattle, WA, and flew it to MacDill Field, Tampa, FL for the fitting out of weapons and classified equipment.
From MacDill, the crew flew overseas, but the season of the year and the route flown are unknown.
Sam served at Snetterton-Heath for his entire tour. He completed all 35 combat missions, and as such made it known that he was a member of the Lucky Bastard Club.
He recalled thick flak over Berlin, Regensburg, and La Havre prior to the D-Day invasion. He also related to me how the tail gunner received fatal injuries from a flak burst near the tail of the aircraft, and said "there wasn't much we could do for him..."
He also related a loss of brakes upon landing from the brake de-boost valve being damaged by flak, resulting in the aircraft over-running the runway, and of trying to release a stuck 500lb. bomb over the English Channel, almost falling off of the catwalk in the process.
The first aircraft received so much damage over a period of time that the attrition of damaged caused the aircraft to be cannibalized. Sam & his crew picked-up another B-17G from a ferry crew, and he completed the remainder of his tour from the UK base. Upon cessations of hostilities, Sam served as a French Interpreter, as he was fluent in 7 languages.
Sam was discharged from the USAAF in 1946, but re-entered the newly-formed USAF in 1948. He served as a gunnery instructor, then entered the communications field where he served de-encrypting messages during the cold war. After receiving his 6th Honorable Discharge, he worked in crypto linguistics for an unverified branch of the U.S. Intelligence apparatus, fully retiring in 1975. He never spoke of what he did, or what he was involved with post-USAF service of 24 years.
Sam was a product of southern West Virginia in his upbringing and education during the Great Depression. His father (my Grandfather) was injured in a coal mining accident in 1937, and died of those injuries 2 years later on 1 April 1939. Sam's mother was a home-maker, living to the age of 100.
Sam remained single all of his life, and dedicated to his extended families. He enriched the lives of those he came in contact with, and never, ever asked for anything in return. He insured that his niece's and nephew's always had good medical and dental care, access to an education, and interactivity with others irrespective of age.
He is a wonderful example of The Great Generation who grew-up with austerity, fought in a horrendous war, and worked to maintain the peace for the United States of America.
TSgt. Samuel C. Ferrell Jr. passed away Christmas Day 2006 in his home in Montgomery, WV. He was 85, and is very much missed. His examples of understanding, patience, and love are facets that we all can continue to strive for, just as he did!
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