Berkeley Daily Gazette - Tuesday Evening, December 7, 1943 - Page Three
BERKELEY WAR HERO CRASHES - Confirmation that First Lieut. Thomas E. Scrivner of Berkeley, a Flying Fortress pilot in the Army Air Corps, crashed to his death on his 50h mission after dropping a load of high explosive bombs on the Ploesti Oilfields in Rumania, was made public today. Letters from the War Department and Capt. Brutus Hamilton, former University of California track and field coach now stationed in the European theater of operations, reveal that Lt. Scrivner, 22, former University of California varsity basketball player and brother of Lt. E. R. Scrivner, j.g. U.S.N.R. Berkeley, stationed at a Naval Aviation Station in Florida, was killed on his final scheduled bombing flight before leaving for a visit to the United States.
FIVE DECORATIONS - Simultaneously, it was revealed by the War Department in a letter to his brother, that five decorations have been awarded posthumously to the heroic aviator. The awards as listed by Major General J. A. Ulio, adjutant general of the War Department are:
"The Purple Heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defense of his country, while serving in the rank of first lieutenant. The Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while serving his country. The Air Medal for meritorious achievement. One bronze Oak-Leaf Cluster, which indicates a second award of the Air Medal for meritorious achievement. Two bronze Oak-Leaf Clusters, which indicate third and fourth awards of the Air Medal, for exceptionally meritorious achievement."
HITS TARGET - Capt. Hamilton, writing to Lt. Scrivner in regard to his brother's death said:
"The day following Ploesti I set about to find out about Tom. As you probably know Tom and I never saw each other her (censored) or in Africa but we exchanged greetings through mutual friends. W always planned to get together but my duties never took me to his field or him to mine. Finally I found the pilot who flew next to Tom. He seemed quite reliable. His story as he told it to me was about as follows:
"I was flying on Tom's right wing. Just over the target his plane was badly hit and I saw him crash just after the target."
"And chance for survivors?" I asked.
"In my opinion none whatever," he said.
"Any chance that you may be mistaken as to the identity of the plane?" I asked.
"No," he said, "I'm certain it was Tom."
Lt. Scrivner was a member of the 1939-40 Golden Bear basketball squad. After graduating he worked at Douglas Aircraft and joined the service over two years ago. He has been stationed overseas since October 1942 and participated in nearly every major air raid. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Scrivner, reside at Carlsbad, New Mexico.
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First Lieutenant Thomas E. Scrivner participated in Operation Tidal Wave - a U.S. Army Air Forces planned low-level bombing run during World War II to destroy oil refineries in and around Ploesti, Romania. He entered the service from New Mexico.
BERKELEY WAR HERO CRASHES - Confirmation that First Lieut. Thomas E. Scrivner of Berkeley, a Flying Fortress pilot in the Army Air Corps, crashed to his death on his 50h mission after dropping a load of high explosive bombs on the Ploesti Oilfields in Rumania, was made public today. Letters from the War Department and Capt. Brutus Hamilton, former University of California track and field coach now stationed in the European theater of operations, reveal that Lt. Scrivner, 22, former University of California varsity basketball player and brother of Lt. E. R. Scrivner, j.g. U.S.N.R. Berkeley, stationed at a Naval Aviation Station in Florida, was killed on his final scheduled bombing flight before leaving for a visit to the United States.
FIVE DECORATIONS - Simultaneously, it was revealed by the War Department in a letter to his brother, that five decorations have been awarded posthumously to the heroic aviator. The awards as listed by Major General J. A. Ulio, adjutant general of the War Department are:
"The Purple Heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defense of his country, while serving in the rank of first lieutenant. The Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while serving his country. The Air Medal for meritorious achievement. One bronze Oak-Leaf Cluster, which indicates a second award of the Air Medal for meritorious achievement. Two bronze Oak-Leaf Clusters, which indicate third and fourth awards of the Air Medal, for exceptionally meritorious achievement."
HITS TARGET - Capt. Hamilton, writing to Lt. Scrivner in regard to his brother's death said:
"The day following Ploesti I set about to find out about Tom. As you probably know Tom and I never saw each other her (censored) or in Africa but we exchanged greetings through mutual friends. W always planned to get together but my duties never took me to his field or him to mine. Finally I found the pilot who flew next to Tom. He seemed quite reliable. His story as he told it to me was about as follows:
"I was flying on Tom's right wing. Just over the target his plane was badly hit and I saw him crash just after the target."
"And chance for survivors?" I asked.
"In my opinion none whatever," he said.
"Any chance that you may be mistaken as to the identity of the plane?" I asked.
"No," he said, "I'm certain it was Tom."
Lt. Scrivner was a member of the 1939-40 Golden Bear basketball squad. After graduating he worked at Douglas Aircraft and joined the service over two years ago. He has been stationed overseas since October 1942 and participated in nearly every major air raid. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Scrivner, reside at Carlsbad, New Mexico.
-----
First Lieutenant Thomas E. Scrivner participated in Operation Tidal Wave - a U.S. Army Air Forces planned low-level bombing run during World War II to destroy oil refineries in and around Ploesti, Romania. He entered the service from New Mexico.
Berkeley Daily Gazette - Tuesday Evening, December 7, 1943 - Page Three
BERKELEY WAR HERO CRASHES - Confirmation that First Lieut. Thomas E. Scrivner of Berkeley, a Flying Fortress pilot in the Army Air Corps, crashed to his death on his 50h mission after dropping a load of high explosive bombs on the Ploesti Oilfields in Rumania, was made public today. Letters from the War Department and Capt. Brutus Hamilton, former University of California track and field coach now stationed in the European theater of operations, reveal that Lt. Scrivner, 22, former University of California varsity basketball player and brother of Lt. E. R. Scrivner, j.g. U.S.N.R. Berkeley, stationed at a Naval Aviation Station in Florida, was killed on his final scheduled bombing flight before leaving for a visit to the United States.
FIVE DECORATIONS - Simultaneously, it was revealed by the War Department in a letter to his brother, that five decorations have been awarded posthumously to the heroic aviator. The awards as listed by Major General J. A. Ulio, adjutant general of the War Department are:
"The Purple Heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defense of his country, while serving in the rank of first lieutenant. The Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while serving his country. The Air Medal for meritorious achievement. One bronze Oak-Leaf Cluster, which indicates a second award of the Air Medal for meritorious achievement. Two bronze Oak-Leaf Clusters, which indicate third and fourth awards of the Air Medal, for exceptionally meritorious achievement."
HITS TARGET - Capt. Hamilton, writing to Lt. Scrivner in regard to his brother's death said:
"The day following Ploesti I set about to find out about Tom. As you probably know Tom and I never saw each other her (censored) or in Africa but we exchanged greetings through mutual friends. W always planned to get together but my duties never took me to his field or him to mine. Finally I found the pilot who flew next to Tom. He seemed quite reliable. His story as he told it to me was about as follows:
"I was flying on Tom's right wing. Just over the target his plane was badly hit and I saw him crash just after the target."
"And chance for survivors?" I asked.
"In my opinion none whatever," he said.
"Any chance that you may be mistaken as to the identity of the plane?" I asked.
"No," he said, "I'm certain it was Tom."
Lt. Scrivner was a member of the 1939-40 Golden Bear basketball squad. After graduating he worked at Douglas Aircraft and joined the service over two years ago. He has been stationed overseas since October 1942 and participated in nearly every major air raid. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Scrivner, reside at Carlsbad, New Mexico.
-----
First Lieutenant Thomas E. Scrivner participated in Operation Tidal Wave - a U.S. Army Air Forces planned low-level bombing run during World War II to destroy oil refineries in and around Ploesti, Romania. He entered the service from New Mexico.
BERKELEY WAR HERO CRASHES - Confirmation that First Lieut. Thomas E. Scrivner of Berkeley, a Flying Fortress pilot in the Army Air Corps, crashed to his death on his 50h mission after dropping a load of high explosive bombs on the Ploesti Oilfields in Rumania, was made public today. Letters from the War Department and Capt. Brutus Hamilton, former University of California track and field coach now stationed in the European theater of operations, reveal that Lt. Scrivner, 22, former University of California varsity basketball player and brother of Lt. E. R. Scrivner, j.g. U.S.N.R. Berkeley, stationed at a Naval Aviation Station in Florida, was killed on his final scheduled bombing flight before leaving for a visit to the United States.
FIVE DECORATIONS - Simultaneously, it was revealed by the War Department in a letter to his brother, that five decorations have been awarded posthumously to the heroic aviator. The awards as listed by Major General J. A. Ulio, adjutant general of the War Department are:
"The Purple Heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defense of his country, while serving in the rank of first lieutenant. The Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while serving his country. The Air Medal for meritorious achievement. One bronze Oak-Leaf Cluster, which indicates a second award of the Air Medal for meritorious achievement. Two bronze Oak-Leaf Clusters, which indicate third and fourth awards of the Air Medal, for exceptionally meritorious achievement."
HITS TARGET - Capt. Hamilton, writing to Lt. Scrivner in regard to his brother's death said:
"The day following Ploesti I set about to find out about Tom. As you probably know Tom and I never saw each other her (censored) or in Africa but we exchanged greetings through mutual friends. W always planned to get together but my duties never took me to his field or him to mine. Finally I found the pilot who flew next to Tom. He seemed quite reliable. His story as he told it to me was about as follows:
"I was flying on Tom's right wing. Just over the target his plane was badly hit and I saw him crash just after the target."
"And chance for survivors?" I asked.
"In my opinion none whatever," he said.
"Any chance that you may be mistaken as to the identity of the plane?" I asked.
"No," he said, "I'm certain it was Tom."
Lt. Scrivner was a member of the 1939-40 Golden Bear basketball squad. After graduating he worked at Douglas Aircraft and joined the service over two years ago. He has been stationed overseas since October 1942 and participated in nearly every major air raid. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. George E. Scrivner, reside at Carlsbad, New Mexico.
-----
First Lieutenant Thomas E. Scrivner participated in Operation Tidal Wave - a U.S. Army Air Forces planned low-level bombing run during World War II to destroy oil refineries in and around Ploesti, Romania. He entered the service from New Mexico.
Inscription
THOMAS E. SCRIVNER
1 LT - 66 BOMB SQ - 44 BOMB GP (H)
NEW MEXICO - AUG 1 1943
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