DECEMBER 1944
|
1944:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1945 1st ˝:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1945 2nd ˝:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The basic chronology and general information on these pages is a composite of entries excerpted from “Air War Pacific Chronology: America’s Air War Against Japan in East Asia and the Pacific 1941-1945” by Eric Hammel (Pacifica, CA: Pacifica Press, 1988 ISBN 0-933353-26-6)
and, “USAAF Chronology: Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces” by Jack McKillop (Piscataway, NJ).
Also on line at Rutgers University.
|
Note:
Shaded boxes show updates and comments from members of our B-29 mailing list, many of whom were there.
|
1 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
2 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Saipan Dec. 2, 1944 Briefed for mission on Tokyo. We are to fly Fishburne's plane."
|
|
3 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
Seventy-three of the 86 73rd BW a/c dispatched attack the Musashino aircraft factory and targets of opportunity in Tokyo. B-29 Gunners claim 10-11-18 Japanese Aircraft. Six B-29s are lost to defending fighters. Among the missing airmen is Col. Richard T. King, the 500th BG Commanding Officer, who is captured.
|
|
The B-29s lost were:
42-63461 A-30 Campbell crew lost
42-24735 T-10 Ditched; Fetter crew lost
42-63432 T-28 Murray crew, one crewmember lost
42-24681 T-29 Hyde crew lost
42-24656 Z-1 "Rosalia Rocket" Goldsworthy crew; 3 survived captivity, including Col. King and Maj. Goldsworthy
42-24656 Z-Square 1, Rosalia Rocket, Crew Number 181
Commander: Maj. Robert F. Goldsworthy POW
Pilot: 2/Lt. Robert E. Sollock replaced by Col. Richard T. King POW
Navigator: 1/Lt. Benjamin F. Edwards KIA
Bombardier: Navigator: 1/Lt. Walter J. Patykuls KIA
Flight Engineer: 1/Lt. Henry W. Ward KIA
Radio: Sgt. John A. Wright KIA
Ring Gun: W Cpl. Robert E. Able KIA
Rt. Gun: Cpl, Robert M. Godfrey KIA
L. Gun: Harold J. Schroeder (POW)
Radar: S/Sgt Carl T. Wells KIA
Tail Gun: S//Sgt James P. Corrigan KIA
Observer: Col. Bryon Brugge KIA
Crew Chief: M/Sgt. Alferd W. Anderson
Col. King, Maj. Goldsworthy, And Sgt. Schroeder survived as POW's. Col. Brugge was beaten to death.
(Source: 500th BG Historian.)
|
|
|
42-24680 was the original Z Square 7; she arrived on saipan in early Nov. 1944 under the command of 1/lt. Richard d. Sullivan and started the war with The 881st squadron.
On Dec. 3, 1944 Z-7 went to Tokyo under the command of 1/Lt. Hugh F. Mcnamer, target #357. They were attacked by fighters before they reached The target. The bomb bay and wheel well doors came open and the landing gear came down. That drew about 50 fighters that tried to finish them off.
About the same time Maj. Robert Goldsworthy in Z-1 got hit and fell away From the formation. Most of the fighters took off after him and shot him Down.
The bombardier could not salvo the bombs but they were able to retract the landing gear. The landing gear and bomb bay doors would not close, however. The fighters stayed with them shooting large holes in the tail and Knocking off part of the rudder, and disabling the tail guns. Another fighter tore a huge hole in the fuselage in back of the radar compartment Tearing up a lot of control cables. They were finally able to salvo the bomb load but the fighters hung on and kept pecking away at them.
Mcnamer asked for and got all the power that was in Z Square 7 and succeeded in pulling away from the fighters and started high tailing for home.
They were low on fuel and ditching was predicted. They started to prepare For it by throwing out anything that was not bolted down. As it turned out, They didn't have to ditch. Somehow, they made it back even with the radar out.
They landed on the b-24 runway with the nose wheel coming through the floor. Number seven was pulled off the runway, her props looking like pretzels. By Some miracle, no one was hurt.
The aircraft was repaired and came back into service to fly as Z square 37, Of the 882nd squadron. She was renamed "Belle Ruth" and flew 28 more missions.
(Source: 500th BG Historian)
|
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Saipan Dec. 3, 1944 Unable to go on mission due to engine troubles!! Returning planes reported CAVU over target."
|
4 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA:
Now that XX Air Force bases are being completed in the Marianas, Lt. General Albert Wedemeyer asks that XX Bomber Command B-29s be redeployed to the Pacific in order to reduce the strain their presence in China is placing upon the fragile Hump ferry route logistical train. MARIANAS - The XXI Bomber Command headquarters displaces to Guam/Harmon Field from the U.S. to oversee B-29 operations against the Japanese Home Islands.
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Saipan Dec. 4, 1944 Guiot informed me through a letter from his wife that I was the father of a girl, Dinah Lee. No mail from home yet."
|
5 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Saipan 5, Dec. MAIL TODAY---- Six letters from Martha. Three letters from Mother. Dinah was born Nov. 15, 1944 11:53 PM"
(Later comments: "This was my first mail since leaving Salina on Oct. 17, 1944.")
|
6 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
During the night of 6-7 December, 3 73rd BW a/c mount the first in a series of so-called weather strike missions. The a/c, usually two or three at a time, gather weather information while dropping incendiary bombs on populated areas to lower civilian moral. (The author does not report any future weather strikes)
7 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA:
108 B-29's operating from Chengtu, China, are dispatched to bomb the Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company and an adjacent arsenal at Mukden. 80 a/c hit the primary target and 10 others hit a rail yard short of the primary target; several others strike alternate targets. Gunners claim 10-10-30 Japanese fighters; 7 B-29's are lost.
MARIANAS:
At 0404 hours, several Japanese G4Ms based on Iwo Jima strafe airfields on Saipan; and 13 more G4Ms bomb the bases at 1435 hours. Six of the latter bombers are downed by AA, but 3 B-29s are destroyed, 3 are severely damaged, and approx. 20 are lightly damaged.
|
|
Aircraft lost were:
42-63363 40th Bomb Group
42-65262 444th Bomb Group
42-6262 444th Bomb Group ?????????
42-6299 462nd Bomb Group, Humpin Honey, was rammed
42-6359 462nd Bomb Group was MIA,
42-65213 462nd Bomb Group "Carlalani" A/C Maj. White, non-combat loss due to heavy icing and plane broke apart.]
42-6389 468th Bomb Group "Party Girl"
42-6390 468th Bomb Group "Gallopin Goose"
42-63395 468th Bomb Group crashed at A-7 returning from Mukden
T-10 might have had a different A/C: William S. Doxey, Capt.
T-29 has a different S/N: 42-24181
42-24745 A-26
42-24693 V-27
The 40th Group got off 26 planes, of which 23 attacked the primary target. Ten planes, however, dropped early on the Suhuton RR Yards. One plane bombed Darien, the secondary target, one bombed Chenghsien, the last resort target, and one Hsuchang, a target of opportunity. One plane of the 40th, 42-63363, was lost on the mission. The 444th sent off 27 planes, of which twenty bombed the primary target and one dropped early Suhuton RR Yards. One plane dropped on Chenghsien and one on a target of opportunity, Tsingtao.
One plane, 42-65262, was MIA and four were early returns The 462nd Group got 23 planes airborne, off which 21 bombed the primary target. Two planes were lost, 42-6299 was rammed and 42-6359 was MIA, and two returned early. The 468th Group was the largest contributor of airplanes, launching 31. Twenty-six bombed the primary, two bombed Darien, one Chenghsien and one bombed Kaishu, Korea, a target of opportunity. One airplane returned early. The 468th reported no losses.
42-65213's A/C White had just taken off from Kiunglai, China on a ferry mission to Piardoba with 17 men on board.
They started to pick up ice at 4500 feet but continued to climb to an altitude of 10600 feet. By this time the aircraft had picked up so much ice that it could climb no further. A/C white tried to make a turn to return to base at which time it went into a flat spin, and began to disintegrate in midair. Official cause of accident listed as excessive icing conditions.
From Walter Huss of 42-6299, "Humpin' Honey":
"We were rammed down over Mukden, Manchuria on 12-7-44, by a Tojo fighter, piloted by Sgt. Nagata or Akeno of the 104th Sentai Squadron. The left gunner, Sgt. Ken Beckwith and I the right gunner were the only survivors!
"A sad aspect of this was that the Flt. Eng. had twin sons, born after he went over seas! They are both doctors. One in Rochester, Minn., the other in Washington, D.C."
Walter Huss
Walter Huss and Ken Beckwith spent the rest of WWII in a POW Camp in Mukden, China.
Pilot: 1st Lt. A.M. Colby
Co-Pilot: Lt. Frank O'Donnell
Nav: Lt. Joe Kremer
Bomb.: 1st Lt. Mark Cleland
Flt. Eng.: 1st Lt. Charles Krueger
Radio: Sgt. Raoul Zavala
Radar: Sgt. Herb Roth
CFC: Sgt. Charles Rudy
L. Gun.: S/Sgt. Ken Beckwith
R. Gun.: Sgt. Walt Huss
T. Gun.: T/Sgt. Ken Gwaltney
42-6299 Built at the Boeing Aircraft factory, Wichita, Kansas, contract number ac19673, model B-29-5. Accepted by the USAAF on Jan. 10, 1944. Delivered to the 462nd BG on Jan 11, 1944, Walker AAF, Kansas. It departed the US on Apr 10, 1944, for assignment with the 20th Air Force, arriving in India on Apr 26, April. Lost on Dec 7, 1944.
This is described in "B-29 Hnters of the JAAF" by Henry Sakaida.
More info at
www.geocities.com/jr462nd/Hellbirds_in_Action.html
|
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Saipan 7 Dec. 4:30 AM Jap twin engine bombers bombed flight line destroying Lt. Cox's plane. 2 Jap planes downed. Noon--We were assigned new plane-- Boeing 4224775"
(Note: The Japanese didn't forget this date either!)
(Note: "Used foxhole again. New plane was Model #B-29-50 Serial # 42-24775, Mfg'd by Boeing, Wichita V-26")
|
8 DECEMBER 1944
VOLCANO ISLANDS:
To stop air attacks against B-29 bases at the source, US Navy surface warships join 61 73rd BW of 82 dispatched and 102 VII Bomber Command B-24s in the largest bombardment to date of all three airfields on Iwo Jima. Escort is provided by 28 318th Fighter Group P-38s, which open the day's attack at 0945 hours with a sweep of the island.
The bombers alone drop nearly 800 tons of bombs on the island. This brutal bombardment opens a pre-invasion naval bombardment that will continue for 74 consecutive days. Most of these attacks will be supported by VII BC B-24s and VMB-612 PBJs based in the Marianas.
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Iwo Jima raid by group.We weren't on it."
|
9 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"4:30 AM alert. No enemy sighted."
|
10 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
11 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"1st flight in our new plane. Practice and tested bombing on Pagan Island."
(Later note: "Island never invaded Japanese were just left to fend for themselves.")
|
12 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Briefed for Nagoya, Japan."
|
MARIANAS:
Service groups of the 313th BW arrive on Tinian.
13 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
Seventy-one of 90 B-29's from the 73rd BW dispatched from the Marianas attack the Mitsubishi aircraft engine factory at Nagoya. Nine others hit alternate targets; they claim 4-1-0 Japanese a/c. Four B-29's are lost with 44 crewmen.
MARIANAS:
The 7th Air Force headquarters displaces to Saipan from the Hawaiian Islands.
|
|
Five 73rd Wing aircraft were lost on 13Dec44:
42-63430 T-1 McCandliss crew, all lost after ditching;
42-24638 V-29 Ledbetter crew, all lost after ditching;
42-63447 V-50 "Umbriago, Dat's My Boy" / Sylvester crew survived ditching.
42-24687 Z-26 "Tokyo Local" / Grise crew lost
42-63439 V-47 crashed on Saipan; crew unknown; perhaps this one is considered a write-off or salvage rather than a combat loss.
42-24687 Z SQUARE 26 "TOKYO LOCAL"
Crew Number 207; Crew Missions 5; Aircraft Missions 5
Pilot AC: Capt. Charles G. Grise (KIA)
Copilot: 1/Lt. Edwin B. Schmitz (KIA)
Bombardier: 2/Lt. Morris D. Rosenthal (KIA)
Navigator: 2/Lt. Robert L. Rodgers (KIA)
Flt. Eng: 2/Lt. Anthony J. Musil (KIA)
Radio: Cpl. James P. Allison (KIA)
Ring Gun: Cpl. Joseph A. Kehren (KIA)
R. Gun: Cpl. Barry S. Campbell (KIA)
L. Gun: S/Sgt. Jesse J. Trvine (KIA)
Radar: Sgt. Russel L. Kaufman (KIA)
Tail Gun: Cpl. Hyrum P. Pringle (KIA)
Ground Crew:
M/Sgt. Raymond W. Carr (Crew Chief),
S/Sgt. Joseph H. Filiatreau
Sgt. Herth M. Tompkins
Sgt. Max Edwards
Sgt. Richard H. Herold
Sgt. Russ Libengood
NOTES: Original aircraft arrived on saipan under command of Capt. Charles G. Grise in early November Of 1944. Aircraft and crew were lost Dec. 13, 1944. After bombing nagoya they were observed going down with one engine smoking and another windmilling. They made it out off the coast and had to ditch. all were lost, 2/Lt.
James O. Burpo was a member of the original crew but was not on that mission.
Source: 500th BG Historian
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Flew mission to Nagoya Japan. V-26 & V- 24--two plane element. Alt. 33,000 ft. load, M 18 Petroleum, Jell incendiaries--15 bombs. Moderate accurate flak, but no hits. No fighters reached our altitude. We bombed city proper .Lt. Sylvester ditched and all were picked up. Lt. Ledbetter & crew crashed on return, and all were killed.
"Sylvester's plane was V50.They ditched about 85 miles No of Saipan. They were all able to get out OK. Only four even got their feet wet. They were picked up about 24 hours later by a destroyer. Plane was still afloat and had to be shelled to sink it."
|
Ray Brashear's
Navigator's Notes:
Mission 2:
12/13/44
Nagoya (193) day demo
30,000 0800---2230 1430 2845
Flak-----Intense accurate
Fighters---15-20 1 attack
Silvester ditched All ok Ledbetter crashed Took over lead at coast. Wind 217 mph. Upwind run. 0145 over land. Big 6 ship formation
|
14 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
No actions reported.
MARIANAS:
No actions reported.
THAILAND:
Thirty-three of 48 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Calcutta attack a rail bridge in Bankok; and 14 B-29's attack various alternate targets and targets of opportunity; they claim 0-1-0 Japanese a/c. Four B-29's were lost when a full load of
bombs detonates aboard one of the planes.
|
|
These were all 40th Bomb Group B-29's dispatched from Chakulia, India, and all carrying a mixed bomb load, they knew the danger of carrying a mixed bomb load but were ordered to fly the mission.
The bombs exploded under one of the formations over the target. Out of the 11 B-29's in the three formations only 2 returned to Chakulia, 5 made emergency landing at various airfields and 4 were lost. All planes were damaged.
Lost:
42-24726 Capt. Howard Gerber crew: 11 KIA
42-24457 "Battlin' Beauty" Capt. Cornelius Myers crew: 11 POW
42-93831 1st Lt. Wayne Treiser crew: 5 KIA 6 POW
42-24574 "293" Capt. Bob Shanks crew: 11 POW
One KIA on Sir Troferpus
On the 40th BG web site is the actual message Col. I. Cornett sent to the tower in Chakulia telling of what happened.
This was the 40th Bomb Group most disastrous day: 4 B-29's lost, all B-29's damaged, 17 KIA and 28 POWs. This is known as the "Rangoon Disaster". All the POW's survived and were liberated. They were all kept at the camp in Rangoon. They were liberated by the British. On May 4, 1945, the men left the camp to board a hospital ship and arrived in Calcutta on May 9, 1945.
|
|
15 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
16 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Briefed for Nagoya mission."
|
17 DECEMBER 1944
No actions reported
MARIANAS:
Marine Air Group VMF-321 is withdrawn from Guam back to the United States to undergo carrier training.
18 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA:
Eighty-four of 94 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Chengtu attack the Hankow port area with 511 tons of incendiary bombs (the first B-29 fire raid of the war); they claim 1-3-10 Japanese a/c.
JAPAN:
Sixty-three of 89 73rd BW B-29's dispatched from the Marianas attack the cloud-obscured Mitsubishi aircraft factory in Nagoya with the aid of radar; and 10 B-29's attack various targets of opportunity and last resort; they claim 5-11-12 Japanese a/c. Four B-29's are lost.
|
|
Four B-29s were lost over the target or enroute home, but a total of six B-29s and 27 precious crewmen were removed from the rolls this day:
42-24628 A-29 "Special Delivery" Ewing crew; ten survived
42-63413 A-45 "Dixie Darlin" ditched; Walling crew lost
42-24666 V-24 Conway crew lost
42-24762 Z-1 "Pee Wee" Bricker crew; seven survived
42-24649 T-47 crashed Saipan; crew survived
42-24603 T-7 written off this day; was damaged on Saipan 27Nov44
About the Bricker Crew and the 2nd Z Sq 1:
42-24762 Z SQUARE 1 "PEE WEE"; Crew Number 194
Pilot AC: Cap. Linden O. Bricker
Copilot: 2/Lt. Kenneth R. Chideston
Bombardier: 2/Lt. Jack O. Mueller *
Navigator: 2/Lt. Jay L. Meikle
Flight Engineer: 2/Lt. Clifford B. Smith
Radio: Sgt. Edmund G. Smith
Ring Gun: Cpl. Emory A. Forrest *
R Gun: Cpl. John F. Estes *
L Gun: Cpl. William A. Frank *
Radar: Sgt. Richard J. Grinstead
Tail: Gun Cpl. Stephen J. Darienzo
Crew Chief: M/Sgt. Alferd E. Anderson *
* = KIA/DNC (death not in combat
NOTES This aircraft arrived on saipan in early dec. 1944. Commanded By captain linden o. Bricker. The aircraft was ditched after bombing Nagoya on dec. 18, 1944. Captain bricker and six of the crew survived the ditching.
Source: 500th BG Historian
|
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Unable to take off due to engine trouble. Lt. Conway and crew shot down over target.."
|
Ray Brashear's Navigator's Notes:
Mission 3:
12/18/44
Nagoya (194) Day demo
30,000 0630--2015 1345 4230
Flack meagre
Fighters--30--40
4 attacks
Conway shot down. Lost formation in weather. Flew wing on small mixed formation.
|
19 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA:
Thirteen 58th BW B-29's unable to attack an aircraft plant, their primary target at Omura, Japan attack Shanghai (a secondary target), and two B-29's attack other alternate targets in China; they claim 5-4-13 Japanese a/c.
|
3 aircraft known to be lost:
42-24466 "Able Fox" 40th Bomb Group, bail out over China, runaway prop, Woolsey Crew all rescued by Chinese.
42-6272 "Black Magic" 40th Bomb Group, bail out over Hump, Ball Crew, fuel transfer problem ran out of fuel, 11 rescued by natives.
42-24715 468th Bomb Group - Rammed over Mukden, Benedict Crew, 11 MIA.
(Corradina)
|
|
JAPAN:
Due to bad weather, only 17 of 36 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Chengtu, China are able to attack their primary target, an aircraft factory at Omura. Two B-29's are lost in accidents.
MARIANAS:
The 505th BG, arrives at Tinian/North Field from the United States for service with the XXI Bomber Command, 313th Bomber Wing.
VOLCANO ISLANDS:
Fourteen P-38's from the 318th Fighter Wing are guided by 3 XXI BC B-29's to strafe airfields on Iwo Jima.
20 DECEMBER 1944
No B-29 actions reported
JAPAN:
Several 11th AF, 28th Composite BG B-24's attack targets in the Kurile Islands from bases on Adak and Shemya islands.
VOLCANO ISLANDS:
Twenty-three 11th BG B-24's based on Saipan attack Iwo Jima.
|
|
BURMA: The 40th Bomb Group lost one B-29 today.
42-6331, "Gone With The Wind", Maj. Robert Moss crew, Chittagon, Burma, shot down by a British Beaufighter, two killed. Gone With The Wind was the first B-29 to arrive in the CBI.
|
|
21 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA:
Nineteen of 49 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Chengtu attack an aircraft factory and arsenal at Mukden, Manchuria; eight B-29's attack several alternates and targets of opportunity around Mukden; they claim 21-6-19 Japanese a/c. Two B-29's are lost.
22 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
Forty-eight of 78 73rd BW B-29's dispatched from the Marianas attack the Mitsubishi aircraft factory at Nagoya through heavy clouds with incendiary bombs; and 14 B-29's attack other targets; they claim 9-17-15 Japanese a/c. Three B-29's are lost.
|
|
Aircraft lost:
42-24684 V7, 499th BG, MACR 10889, Darden Crew, ditched from Nagoya, 12 MIA
James H. Darden, Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces, 0-425514
877th BSq, 499th BG; Entered the Service from: Oklahoma
Died: December 23, 1945, Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart.
42-24733 A31, 497th BG, MACR 10902, Hamilton Crew, Ditched from Nagoya, 5 Survivors, 6 MIA.
(Sparky Corradina)
|
|
23 DECEMBER 1944
CBI:
USAAF transport aircraft taking part in the daily massive aerial supply effort throughout the region complete the month's one-day high of 353 effective sorties.
MARIANAS:
The 504th BG (VH), 398th and 421st BS arrive at Tinian/North Field from the United States for service with the XXI Bomber Command's 313th BW.
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Briefed for Iwo Jima mission."
|
24 DECEMBER 1944
MARIANAS:
The 313th BW (VH) headquarters arrives on Tinian/North Field to prepare to oversee combat operations undertaken by several XXI Bomber Command B-29 groups. The 482nd, 483rd and 484th BS, 505th BG arrive at Tinian/North Field.
VOLCANO ISLANDS:
USN surface ships, 23 XXI BC B-29's, 50 VII BC B-24's and 17 318th FW P-38's attack airfields on Iwo Jima.
|
|
CBI - The 40th Bomb Group lost 42-6322, "Bonnie Lee,"
Capt. Martin's crew, after a take off crash when he lost
two engines at Ankang, China.
Note: B-29 bases, all around Calcutta, India:
40th Bomb Group B-4 Chakulia
444th Bomb Group B-3 Charra/Dudhkundi
462nd Bomb Group B-2 Piardoba
468th Bomb Group B-1 Kharagpur
|
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"Bombed Iwo Jima. 20--500# bmbs on Southern airfield. Made 3 runs on target due to rack malfunction. Flak was fairly accurate and at our level-20,000' Coordinated attack with P-38s-B24s. Naval shelling and B-29s. No 29s lost."
|
25 DECEMBER 1944 - (Merry Christmas)
MARIANAS:
In what turns out to be the last attack of its kind, 25 Japanese G4M's based on Iwo Jima bomb and strafe B-29 bases on Saipan during the evening. Two B-29's are destroyed and one is severely damaged.
6th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 crews down three G4M's over the Saipan area between 2000 and 2300 hours.
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"8:10 PM Jap dive bombers bomb us. One B29 on line destroyed. Raid lasted 3 hours."
|
26 DECEMBER 1944
MARIANAS:
6th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 crews down three G4M's north of Saipan between 2030 and 2325 hours.
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
"8:10 PM Jap bombers attack Tanapag Harbor. 2 alerts--2 Hrs.."
|
27 DECEMBER 1944
JAPAN:
Thirty-nine of 72 B-29's from the 73rd BW were dispatched from the Marianas to attack the Nakajima and Musashino aircraft factories in Tokyo; and 13 B-29's attack alternates and targets of opportunity. In the heaviest air battles to date over Japan, more that 250 Japanese fighters attack the B-29's, but only one B-29 is lost to enemy action. Two other B-29's are lost to mechanical failures.
|
|
All three aircraft lost today are from the 498th, one from each squadron, with a loss of 23 men:
42-24605 T2 "The Heat's On" ditched; Gress crew, 4 survived;
42-24642 T25 "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Krause crew shot down over Tokyo; 3 survived captivity;
42-24613 T45 ditched; Horsefall crew, 3 survived.
|
|
|
|
Lee Florence's Diary:
(Later notes: "Our crew, without me, took off for Tokyo; Nakajima engine plant. Scarbrough bombed target of opportunity. Came back on three engines.")
(Recently from Cecil Scarbrough to Lee: "... If memory serves me correctly, the reason you weren't on the mission was that Van Haur (Sq. CO) put a replacement crew's AC in your place for training purposes.
"This was a good mission to miss as we were losing two engines at landfall, bombed target of opportunity, feathered one, throttled back other and headed home. Running low on fuel, threw flak suits overboard, shot out ammo preparing to ditch, but we made it, thanks to the man upstairs.")
|
28 DECEMBER 1944
MARIANAS:
The 6th and 9th Bombardment Groups (VH), 1st, 5th , 99th. 24th and 39th BS arrive at Tinian/North Field for service with the XXI BC, 313th BW.
29 DECEMBER 1944
No Actions Reported
30 DECEMBER 1944
No Actions Reported
31 DECEMBER 1944
MARIANAS:
The XXI Bomber Command headquarters is moved from Saipan to Guam.
|
|
1944:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1945 1st ˝:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1945 2nd ˝:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|