1944: Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1945 1st ½: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 1945 2nd ½: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

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 JANUARY 1945

MARIANAS:

A 6th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 Pilot downs a Japanese G4M over Tinian at 0450hours.

2 JANUARY 1945 (pg 536)

MARIANAS:

A 6th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 crews down a Japanese G4M and a P1Y near Tinian at 0450hours and 0600, respectively; and a 318th FG P-47 pilot downs a C6N near Tinian at 1255hours.

CBI:

Transport aircraft mount a record 546 sorties to front-line and forward bases throughout the region.

THAILAND:

Forty four of forty nine 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Calcutta attack a rail bridge in Bangkok with 179 tons of bombs; 42 hit the primary target and two B-29's attack alternate targets and a target of opportunity; they claim 0-1-1 Japanese a/c.

3 JANUARY 1945

JAPAN:

Fifty seven of ninety seven 73rd BW B-29's dispatched to bomb port facilities and urban areas of Nagoya with incendiary bombs; and 21 attack alternate targets. Japanese fighters fly 300+ attacks on the bombers and 5 B-29's are lost. Gunners claim 14-14-20 Japanese aircraft.

The five B-29's lost today are: 42-63418 A50 497th BG MACR 10901 "Jumbo, King Of The Show", with the Clifford crew; 5 survived ditching 42-24626 A42 497th BG MACR 10854 "Joker's Wild"; Lawson crew was lost 42-24660 Z48 500th BG MACR 10899Amos crew lost after ditching 42-24748 T42 498th BG MACR 10853 Stickney crew lost 42-24766 Z22 500th BG MACR 10905 "Leading Lady", lost with the Hurlbutt crew (More info on Z Sq 22 crash from a Japanese website here.) Additionally, 42-24593, A Sq 7, "American Maid," Bartlett crew, Suffered a blister blowout at 29,000 feet over Nagoya. Gunner James B. Krantz was sucked outside but survived: held for 15 minutes by his home-made harness until pulled back in with frostbite and broken bones. (incident also described in Stephen Birdsall's "Saga of the Superfortress", page 136.)

Ray Brashear's Navigator's Notes: (It is tough enough to prepare for a mission without having to abort later on. The general briefing, the specialized briefings, the preflight and the heavy weight takeoffs and a flight toward the target. When an abort occurs, all of the prepraration is for nothing and it will have to be done all over again. This is our first abort.) -- ABORT -- 1/3/45 NAGOYA Day demo 28,000 0800--2000 1200 5430 Lost number 2 engine 100 NM short of the coast. 1100 NM on 3 engines

4 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported

5 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported

6 JANUARY 1945

JAPAN:

(Mission 24) Twenty eight of forty nine 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Chengtu, China, attack an aircraft factory and urban areas at Omura with 91 tons of bombs. Thirteen bomb a secondary target at Nanking, China while 6 attack targets of opportunity; they claim 4-6-10 Japanese aircraft. One B-29 is lost. This is the last mission against targets in Japan by the XX BC.

AIRCRAFT NICKNAME GROUP TARGET STATUS 42-24579 Eddie Allen 40BG Pagoda A/F 42-24582 Little Clambert " Jettisoned Air Abort 42-24589 Calamity Jane " Bangkok 42-24620 Sleepy Time Gal " Bangkok 42-24738 Honeywell Honey " Jettisoned Air Abort 42-24739 (Unnamed) " Bangkok 42-24752 Wichita Witch " Bangkok 42-24798 Ole Gas Eater " Bangkok 42-63396 Marietta Belle " Bangkok 42-63462 The Lemon " Bangkok 42-63498 B-Sweet III " Bangkok 42-65233 Superstitious Aloyisious " Bangkok 42-93859 Shag'n Home " Bangkok 42-24485 Lady Marge 444BG Bangkok 42-24492 Deacon's Disciples II " Bangkok 42-24507 Bachelor Quarters " Bangkok 42-24538 Better 'n' Nutin " Bangkok 42-24580 Undecided " Bangkok 42-24724 Hollywood Commando " Bangkok 42-24730 High and Mighty " Bangkok 42-24731 Victory Girl " Bangkok 42-63376 Miss N.C. " Bangkok 42-63451 Blackjack II " Bangkok 42-65202 Satan's Angel " Bangkok 42-65226 unnamed " Bangkok 42-24463 unnamed 462BG Bangkok 42-24506 Untouchable " Bangkok 42-24590 Celestial Princess " Bassein, Burma 42-24800 unnamed " Bangkok 42-24801 Phoney Express " Bangkok 42-63450 unnamed " Bangkok 42-63454 Thunderbird " Bangkok 42-63457 Battlin' Betty " Bangkok 42-63472 unnamed " Jettisoned Air Abort 42-63503 Sky Scrapper " Bangkok 42-65252 unnamed " Bangkok 42-65254 unnamed " Bangkok 42-24429 Blind Date 468BG Bangkok 42-24442 Wichita Witch " Bangkok 42-24469 unnamed " Bangkok 42-24486 Windy City II " Bangkok 42-24487 Bengal Lancer " Bangkok 42-24494 Mary Ann " Bangkok 42-24542 Lady Hamilton II " Bangkok 42-24691 Fast Company " Bangkok 42-24703 American Beauty " Bangkok 42-24704 Gear Box " Bangkok 42-24714 Robert J Wilson " Bangkok 42-65208 Andy's Dandy " Bangkok

The single lost aircraft was: 42-65254 CBI tail code K over 1, MACR 11298 Major Slack's crew, 11 MIA. (Story of this aircraft Rush Order, crew, unit, missions on Major Slack website.) The reason no more missions were flown from China by the XX Bomber Command was in part, that all the Chinese bases were captured by the Japanese. Why, the 73rd Bomb Wing was now bombing Japan and someone felt that we didn't need the Chinese bases anymore because the 58th Bomb Wing wasn't going to Japan anymore from these bases. We pulled out.

7 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported

8 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported

9 JANUARY 1945

CHINA:

Six B-29's from the 58th BW unable to reach primary targets on Formosa attack targets of last resort on the China coast.

FORMOSA:

(Mission 25) Thirty-nine of forty six 58th BW B-29's dispatched from Chengtu attack port facilities at Kiirun with 293 tons of bombs; this raid is the first of several such combined USN-USAAF operations against Formosa in conjuction with the US invasion of Luzon, Philippines.

AIRCRAFT NICKNAME GROUP TARGET STATUS 42-24522 B-Sweet II 40BG Nanking 42-24589 Calamity Jane " Nanking 42-24620 Sleepy Time Gal " Omura 42-24685 unnamed " Omura 42-24718 Black Magic II " Nanking 42-24718 Honeywell Honey " Omura 42-24739 unnamed " Omura 42-24798 Ole Gas Eater " Omura 42-63396 Marietta Belle " Omura 42-63462 The Lemon " Omura Air Abort 42-63498 B-Sweet III " Omura 42-63505 Draggin' Lady " Omura 42-24462 Princess Eileen II 444BG Omura 42-24464 Flying Stud II " Omura 42-24485 Lady Marge " Nanking 42-24492 Deacon's Disciples II " Omura 42-24507 Bachelor Quarters " Omura 42-24524 Super Mouse " Omura 42-24538 Better 'n' Nutin " Omura 42-24584 Lucky Lady " Omura 42-24724 Hollywood Commando " Omura 42-24730 High and Mighty " Nanking 42-63411 Duchess " Omura 42-63496 Naughty Nancy " Omura 42-24484 Our Gal 462BG Nanking 42-24506 Untouchable " Nanking 42-24590 Celestial Princess " Lao Yao Harbor 42-24728 unnamed " Nanking 42-24786 Assid Test " Lao Yao Harbor 42-24800 unnamed " Omura 42-63448 unnamed " Omura 42-63450 unnamed " Jettisoned Air Abort 42-63457 unnamed " Omura 42-63503 Skyscrapper " Lao Yao Harbor 42-65232 unnamed " Omura 42-65254 unnamed " Omura 42-24442 Wichita Witch 468BG Omura 42-24469 unnamed " Omura 42-24494 Mary Ann " Omura 42-24525 Mary K " Omura 42-24542 Lady Hamilton " Nanking 42-24691 Fast Company " Nanking 42-24703 American Beauty " Convoy 42-24714 Robert J Wilson " Omura 42-24734 Miss Lead " Nanking 42-63415 Jolly Roger " Tang Yang 42-63456 unnamed " Omura 42-63500 Gravel Gertie " Omura

JAPAN:

(Mission 26) Seventy-two 73rd BW B-29's are dispatched from the Marianas to attack the Musashino aircraft plant near Tokyo, but the formation is broken up by high winds. Only eighteen B-29's attack the primary target, and thirty four attack alternates and targets of opportunity; they claim 13-3-11 Japanese aircraft. Six B-29's are lost.

The six aircraft lost are: 42-24598 A5 Waddy's Wagon; Young crew lost after ditching 42-24772 A14 (MACR 10907); Baird crew lost 42-24655 A46 Mis' Behavin'; Crowell crew lost 42-24658 V3 Wugged Wascal; Murphy crew lost after ditching 42-24665 V4 Satan's Sister; Fiala Crew lost after ditching, 12 MIA 42-24657 Z45 Mustn't Touch; Charters crew lost (detailed below) Info on 42-24657 Z45, Mustn't Touch: Crew Missions: 1       Aircraft Missions: 6 Pilot: Capt. John F. Charters KIA Copilot: 1/Lt. Carmon B Rucker KIA Bombardier: 1/Lt. Leland B. Young KIA Flight Engineer: 1/Lt. William F. Nothcutt KIA Navigator: 1/Lt. thomas G. Haher KIA Radio: James A. Marshall, R. KIA Left Gunner: George T. Copher KIA Right Gunner: Ray M. Bell KIA Central Gunner: Clarence Cohen KIA Radar Operator: Max J. Swanson KIA Tail Gunner:Beverly A. Hocker KIA Ground Crew: MSgt. Robert W. Doonan (Crew Chief) Sgt. George M. Lester Sgt. Charles C. Griffen PFC. Crol J. Dunais Notes: Capt. McClanahan and crew brought this aircraft to Saipan in early November of 1944 and were assigned to it along with Capt. Hanson's crew. She was ditched by Charter's crew on 1/9/45 on their second mission. They were followed down by a buddy plane but contact was lost when they hit water. There were no survivors. Capt. Charters was on his second tour of duty. He had flown with the old 19th Bomb Group. (Source: 500th BG Historian)

Ray Brashear's Navigator's Notes: Mission 4: 1/9/45 Tokyo Night Weather strike 34,000 1900--0945 1445 6915 Flack meagre --inaccurate Fighters--nil About 50 lights-- some on us momentarily Pretty lonely up there all by ourselves Dropped fire bombs on big T and saw some fires

10 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported

11 JANUARY 1945

MALAYA:

(Mission 27) Twenty five of fourty seven B-29's from the 58th BW dispatched from Calcutta attack two drydock facilities at Singapore (Mission 27); and fifteen B-29's attack alternates on Penang Island and Mergui, Burma and various targets of opportunity. They claim 6-1-17 Japanese aircraft. Two B-29's are lost.

The two aircraft lost are: 42-24704 468th Bomb Group A/C Humphries MACR 10879 3 killed, 4 captured, 4 evaded capture 42-65226 444th Bomb Group A/C Wilson MACR 10878 About 42-24704: One of the B-29s lost on this raid was 42-24704, piloted by Maj. Donald Humphrey of the 793rd Bomb Sqn., 468th Bomb Group. The loss is covered in MACR 10879. The plane crashed in Malaya. Several crewmembers were killed when the plane was shot down or died of injuries shortly after the crash. Several were captured by the Japanese and held in a prison in Singapore for the remainder of the war. Four, including Humphrey, managed to evade capture and spent time with a communist guerrilla band in Malaya (one of these four died before the war ended, the others were not able to return to US military control until after Japan's surrender). Those killed were Lt. Col. Robinson Billings, the mission commander (and who was flying as co-pilot); radio operator T/Sgt. M. A. Kundrat; and tailgunner S/Sgt R. E. Spratt. Those captured were radar observer 1st Lt. M. J. Govednick, CFC gunner S/Sgt J. A. MacDonald, left gunner T/Sgt H. D. Gillett, and right gunner T/Sgt Ralph Lindley. Those evading were Maj. Humphrey, navigator Capt. C. A. Hansman (who died before the war ended), bombardier 1st Lt. William F.Duffy, and flight engineer 1st Lt. Ernest C. Saltzman. Humphrey's crew, I would note, was part of the original complement of the 468th BG and their original aircraft was named "Postville Express" after Humphrey's hometown of Postville, Iowa. Humphrey was the lead aircraft commander for the first B-29 raid on Japan proper, which took place against Yawata in June 1944. This raid is the subject of a guest column on Sallyann's site (the column appeared around October, 1999, I believe). "Postville Express," the original plane, had been returned to the US as war weary in late 1944. To my knowledge, 42-24704 was unnamed, though Humphrey in a postwar newspaper interview referred to it as the "Postville Express." This may have been a case where, had the aircraft remained in service longer, it would have carried nose art and been named. Note: Lt. Goh Keng Loon of the Malaysian Air Force and Shaharom Ahmad have posted information well as recent crash site pictures on their WWII history website. 42-65226 wreckage found? Researchers looking into a 1941 British naval battle in Malaysia recently found a B-29 in the water, and put pictures on their website. Meanwhile, Lt. Goh and Mr. Ahmad have determined that it is probably 42-65226.

Aircraft that participated in Mission 27:

AIRCRAFT NICKNAME GROUP TARGET STATUS 42-24503 Nippon Nipper II 40BG Mergui Harbor, Burma 42-24579 Eddie Allen " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24582 Little Clambert " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24587 San Antonio Rose " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-24757 unnamed " Penang, Malaya 42-63374 Tabooma II " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-63394 " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-63407 Shoot, You're Faded " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-63455 Genie " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-65233 Superstitious Aloyisious " Mergui Harbor, Burma 42-24462 Princess Eileen II 444BG Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24580 Undecided " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-24720 Fu-Kemal-Tu " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24732 Hore-Zontal Dream " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-63375 Her Majesty " Singapore Kings Drydock 42-63378 Fubar " Aerodrome 42-63446 Trojan Spirit " Mergui Harbor, Burma 42-63451 Black Jack II " Singapore Air Abort 42-63496 Naughty Nancy " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-65202 Satan's Angel " Jettisoned Air Abort 42-65226 unnamed " Singapore MIA Last Seen Mersing 42-24463 unnamed 462BG Penang, Malaya 42-24475 Hoodlum House II " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24581 unnamed " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24800 unnamed " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24801 Phoney Express " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24838 unnamed " Penang, Malaya 42-63454 Thunderbird " Malaya 42-63472 unnamed " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-63502 Long John Silver " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-63540 unnamed " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-65230 unnamed " Mergui Harbor, Burma 42-24469 unnamed 468BG RR Tracks 42-24471 Chat'nooga Choo Choo " Singapore 42-24486 Windy City II " Penang, Malaya 42-24487 Bengal Lancer " Singapore Air Abort 42-24546 unnamed " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24678 Kickapoo Lou " Singapore Floating Drydock 42-24691 Fast Company " Oil Storage Area 42-24704 Gear Box " Singapore Kings Drydock Crashed in Malaysia 42-24714 Robert J Wilson " Penang, Malaya 42-24734 Miss Lead " Floating Drydock 42-63417 Rushin Rotashun " Singapore Air Abort 42-63445 Craig Comet " Penang, Malaya 42-63464 Belle Ringer " Penang, Malaya

12 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported.

Lee Florence's Diary: Saipan Briefed for Nagoya

13 JANUARY 1945 No actions reported.

14 JANUARY 1945

CHINA:

Nearly twenty B-29's from the 58th BW unable to reach their target in Formosa attack a number of alternate targets and targets of opportunity in mainland China, including Hengyang.

FORMOSA:

Fifty four of eighty two B-29's from the 58th BW dispatched from Chengtu (Mission 28) attacks Kagi Airdrome, and one B-29 attacks and arsenal at Heito. Several B-29's also attack Taichu Airdrome as an alternate target.

JAPAN:

Forty of seventy three B-29's from the 73rd BW dispatched from the Marianas attack the Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Nagoya through a heavy undercast; and twenty three B-29's attack alternates and targets of opportunity. They claim 16-7-26 Japanese aircraft. Five B-29's are lost.

The 73rd B-29s lost were: 42-24807 A? MACR 11223 Schramm crew lost 42-24595 A2 MACR 11221 "Pacific Union" ditched; Cox crew, 4 survived 42-24609 T21 "Lassie Come Home" surveyed after mission 42-24763 T34 MACR 11219 "Geisha Gertie" ditched; Baumann crew lost 42-24647 V22 MACR 11222 "Hasta Luego" ditched; Mellen crew, 6 surv

Lee Florence's Diary: Saipan: Bombed Nagoya visually. 6 airplane formation. Brashear leading. Attacked by large number of fighters. No B-29s shot down. Good results on bombingat 32,000 ft. Lt. Mellen and crew ditched on return. Lt. Mellen and McClure did not survive. Others picked up two days later .

Ray Brashear's Navigator's Notes: (This is a copy of our navigators note pad. They get better as the missions get worse. Ray) Mission 5: 1/14/45 Nagoya (194) Day demo 30,000 0750--2150 1400 8315 Flack-moderate, accurate Fighters-unknown number. Quite a few, tho About 20 attacks on our ship alone. Mellon ditched 6 got out and were picked up after a pretty hectic night. We took over lead one half way up. 6 plane formation.

15 JANUARY 1945

No actions reported.

1944: Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1945 1st ½: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 1945 2nd ½: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep