Descriptive Summary
Hermanson, Herman F.
Herman F. Hermanson Papers
ca. 1942-2006
Materials are written in English.
2011-029
3 in.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
The Herman F. Hermanson Papers, ca.
1942-2006, consist of a book, newspaper articles, personal papers, research, and
correspondence relating to Sgt. Herman Hermanson’s experiences as an airman in World
War II, including his plane crash in France and his escape from German pursuers.
Biographical Note
Sgt. Herman F. Hermanson (d. 1984) served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War
II before being discharged in 1945. He was a top turret gunner on a B-17 bomber
nicknamed “Big Red” with the 388th Bomb Group when his plane was shot down over
German-occupied France on March 27, 1944. With the help of the French resistance, he
escaped through France and into Spain.
Scope and Contents
The Herman F. Hermanson Papers, ca. 1942-2006, consist of the book Il s’appelait Big
Red… by Bertrand Illegems, newspaper articles, personal papers, a speech by crash
eyewitness Louis Gourand, research, and correspondence relating to Sgt. Herman
Hermanson’s experiences as an airman in World War II, including his plane crash in
France and his escape from German pursuers.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Hermanson, Herman F.--Archives
Subjects (Organizations)
United States. Army Air Forces. Bomb Group, 388th
Subjects
B-17 Bomber--1940-1950.
World War, 1939-1945--Veterans--United States--Personal Narratives.
World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--France--Bordeaux Region.
Places
Aizenay (France)
Preferred Citation
Herman F. Hermanson Papers, ca. 1942-2006, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History,
University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Evan Usler, February 2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers
Inventory
2.325/U144
Vendee Newspaper article,April 1994
Speech by Louis Gouraud,July 1995
Presse-Ocean Newspaper article,April 1994
Book: Il s’appelait Big
Red…1994
Army Air Force Experiences,1995
Article: “Cache” A GI’s Flight to Freedom,1995
Correspondence, personal papers,ca. 1942-2006
Crash site photos and article,ca. 2000