Lew Kerrick [third from left] and his "Blond Bomber" helped to establish a World War II tradition among GI bomber crews.

Lewis M. Kerrick was born in Santa Cruz, California, on July 8, 1919. No information is available regarding his parents. His grandparents, W. O. Kerrick and his wife, raised Lew. Lewis Kerrick attended local schools and about 1933 began Chaminade High School and graduated in 1937.

Kerrick enrolled in New Mexico Military Academy in Roswell, New Mexico, and while there became a rifleman of national prominence before graduating in 1939. For the next two years, Kerrick worked as a skiing instructor at Donner Summit, California.

On December 12, 1941, Lewis Kerrick enlisted in the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet program at Moffett Field, California. He completed preliminary instruction at King City, California, and was then sent to Kelly Field, Texas, with the first contingent of cadets entering the program. Upon completion of cadet training, Kerrick received his silver wings and the brass bars of a second lieutenant. Schools in Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Washington State rounded out his flight training. It is believed that Lew Kerrick was married while in Oklahoma.

Following his stateside training, Lt. Kerrick was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to the 337th Bomber Squadron, 96th Bomber Group of the 8th Air Force stationed in England. As he flew over Santa Cruz for the last time, Lew circled over his grandfather's laundry business, dipping his wings to say goodbye.

During World War II, naming bombers became an Air Force tradition. Lewis Kerrick had a picture of the movie star Betty Grable, whom he had met in Kansas, painted on the nose of his B-17. With her sponsorship he named it the "Blond Bomber." When he heard that Grable was about to have a baby, Kerrick gained further attention by replacing missions completed insignias with crawling babies on the side of his plane.

On December 16, 1943, during its eighth bombing mission over Germany, the "Blond Bomber" was hit and never returned to base. First Lieutenant Lewis M. Kerrick went down with his plane and was memorialized on the Tablets at Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten.

His awards include the Air medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

(CBR; ABMC, NARA2; SCSn October 17, 1941 2:3, December 7, 1943 1:4, January 3, 1944 1:6, SCR January 7, 1944-1)