Thomas “Tom” Caldwell Henderson was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the son of Thomas “Tom” Caldwell Henderson and Georgia “Georgie” Graham Armistead. He was married and father of Tom C. Henderson III who he had never seen. He was promoted from First Lieutenant to Captain in May 1942. He was a graduate of Mississippi State College with the class of 1938.
He Died non Battle 14 September 1943
Major Henderson was assigned to the Sepcial Operations Group and was aboard aircraft B-17E with serial number 41-9051, nickname Flaming Mayme, when it crashed on the upper slopes of Skiddaw in the Lake District in England.
They were undertaking a navigation exercise flying from RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire to RAF Turnhouse near Edinburgh when the aircraft crashed in low cloud. They may have been preparing to land, possibly the navigator – unused to the nature of flying in British weather – was unaware the aircraft was a long way off course.
Crew and Passengers
Captain William C. Anderson
First Lieutenant Robert J. Sudbury
Captain Raymond R. Oeftiger
Second Lieutenant Raymond E. Diltz
Staff Sergeant Bryson R. Hills
Staff Sergeant Robert L. Jacobsen
Major Tom C. Henderson
Major Henry B. Williams
First Lieutenant Clarence H. Ballagh
First Lieutenant Theodore R. Doe
- Rank: Major
- Date of birth: 25 January 1916
- Date of death: 14 September 1943
- County: Scott
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 482nd Bomber Group
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XVII, Middle Panel
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