WJHL Rewind: The Erwin Nine

ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) – During World War II, several from the Tri-Cities answered the call to serve overseas. Nine men, all from Erwin, Tennessee, found themselves in an improbable situation during the war.

All nine men had volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Each was assigned to a different aircraft, and at different times all nine were shot down. As the war continued, all nine found themselves in the same prisoner-of-war camp before being liberated.

Each of the Erwin Nine returned home.

In June 2001, former News Channel 11 reporter John Dunn spoke with George Hatcher, one of the men who made up the Erwin Nine.

According to obituaries, the last member of Erwin Nine, Dick Franklin, passed away in 2019.

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