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 July 1945 (pg 676) - (The final assault: VJ - 33 days)

JAPAN During the night of 1-2 July, 1 mining and 4 incendiary missions are flown:

(Mission 240) One hundred fifty-two B-29's dispatched from the 58th BW, attack the Kure urban area destroying 1.3 square miles or 40% of the city; 2 B-29's attack alternate targets.

(Mission 241) One hundred fifty-four B-29's dispatched from the 73rd BW, hit the Kumamoto urban area destroying 1 square mile or 20% of the city; 1 B-29 hit's an alternate target. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 242) One hundred B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW, bomb the Ube urban area destroying .42 square miles or 23% of the city.

(Mission 243) One hundred twenty-six B-29's dispatched from the 314th BW attack the Shimonoseki urban area destroying .51 square miles or 36% of the city; 5 B-29's hit alternate targets. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 244) Twenty-four 505th BG B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and the waters at Nanao and Fushiki.

Aircraft lost: 44-69990 19th BG, MACR 14693, Reither Crew: Abandoned NW of Iwo Jima, engine fires. 2 MIA, 9 Rescued.

Lee Florence's Diary: T.O. 1745 for incind raid on Kumamoto on Kyushu. Bombed at 0140, July 1st. No flak-no fighters. Undercast. Large fires on target. 10,000' bmb. alt.

T Square 54: Mission #31: Capt. Cruce, Kumamoto urban area, 30% burned.

2 July 1945 (pg 677)

JAPAN

During the night of 2-3 Jul, 39 315th BW B-29's bomb the Maruzen Oil Refinery at Minoshima; one B-29 bombs an alternate target.

3 July 1945 (pg 678)

INDIA

The first of three air echelons of the XX BC including BGen Joseph Smith, Commanding General, sets sail from India for Okinawa; the rest of the command sails in 2 groups on 12 July and 4 August, leaving only a few small detachments in the India-Burma area.

JAPAN

During the night of 3-4 Jul, 1 mining and 4 incendiary missions are flown. Three B-29's are lost:

(Mission 246) Twenty-six 505th BG B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Funakawa and Maizuru during the predawn hours of the 4th; two B-29's mine alternate targets.

(Mission 247) One hundred sixteen B-29's dispatched from the 58th BW attack the Takamatsu urban area destroying 1.4 square miles or 78% of the city; 3 B-29's attack alternate targets. Two B-29's are lost.

(Mission 248) One hundred twenty-five 73rd BW B-29's hit the Kochi urban area destroying .92 square miles or 48% of the city. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 249) One hundred six B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Himeji urban area destroying 1.2 square miles or 63.3% of the city.

(Mission 250) One hundred twenty-nine 314th BW B-29's hit the Tokushima urban area destroying 1.7 square miles or 74% of the city; 2 B-29's attack alternate targets.

Aircraft lost: 42-63414 "The Jumpin' Stud" Ditched - Voight Crew Survived. 42-24774 497th BG - MACR 14923 - Merrill Crew 42-24914 40th BG - Crashed on take off - Braley Crew 42-63500 "Gravel Gertie" 468th BG - Watson Crew From Ford Tolbert: "... were assigned to search for a downed fighter in Tokyo bay, we let down about a hundred miles out to get under a cloud cover and as we broke out of the overcast, one of the crew members spotted survivors of a ditching and we began circling them, dropping radio buoys and called a submarine. He instructed us to come to his location and escort him so he could travel on the surface at a greater speed. We stayed with him until the clouds got too low and we had to go up above them. "Since the clouds were just about down on the deck, it was safe to leave him and we went back to search for the lost crew and couldn't find them, mostly due to the low cloud cover. It is bitch to circle a B-29 with only a few hundred feet of clearance between the water and cloud deck. so we proceeded on to our original target in Tokyo bay. "We contacted a submarine as we searched for the fighter pilot and all we ever found was a floating wheel. The submarine told us that he would surface and search but we finally convinced him that we had done a good job of searching and he stayed wet. He was actually going to surface in Tokyo bay with us as protective cover. He had the guts of a government mule During all the searching at low altitude in plain sight of land, we never saw any enemy activity. "About two weeks later, some of the rescued members that we had discovered came to our barracks and visited with us. Lots of handshaking went on!!! I have no idea how they found us unless that circle W on the tail stuck in their memory because we were low enough for them see the details of the plane." Ford

	Lee Florence's Diary: T.O. 1945 for incind raid on Shikoku. Bombed at 0309, July 4th. Alt. 10,000'. Clear over target. No flak-no fighters. Large fires.	Ray Brashear's Navigator Notes: Mission 30: 7/4/45 Kochi, Shikoku Night incend 10,000 1730--0650 1320 45720 Opposition -nil The first one for LeMay
	T Square 54: Mission #32: Maj. Cruce, Kochi urban area night raid, nearly half destroyed.

4 July 1945 (pg 678) No actions reported.

5 July 1945 (pg 679) No actions reported.

6 July 1945 (pg 679)

JAPAN

Taking off during the late evening hours of 6 Jul, 517 B-29's make four incendiary and 1 HE attacks between 0700 and 0800 hours local on 7 Jul. One B-29 is lost:

(Mission 251) One hundred twenty-four 58th BW B-29's attack the Chiba urban area destroying .86 square miles or 43.4% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.

(Mission 252) One hundred twenty-three 73rd BW B-29's hit the Akashi urban area destroying .81 square miles or 57% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.

(Mission 253) One hundred thirty-three B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Shimizu urban area destroying .71 square miles or 50% of the city. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 254) One hundred thirty-one B-29's dispatched from the 314th BW hit the Kofu urban area destroying 1.3 square miles or 65% of the city; one B-29 attacks an alternate target.

(Mission 255) Fifty-nine B-29's dispatched from the 315th BW drop 500lb on the Maruzen Oil Refinery at Wakayama; one B-29 hits an alternate target.

	Lee Florence's Diary: T .0. 1810 for incind raid on Akashi. Alt. 7800'. Bombed at 0126, July 7th. Complete undercast over target. No flak--No fighters. Missions Completed	Ray Brashear's Navigator Notes: Mission 31: 7/7/45 7,800 1800--0730 1330 47050 Opposition- nil 10/10 undercast
	T Square 54: Mission #33: Maj. Cruce(?), Akashi urban area.

7 July 1945 (pg 679)

MARIANAS

HQ XX BC arrives at Sakugawa Okinawa from India.

8 July 1945 (pg 680) No Action Reported.

Aircraft lost: 42-63747 502nd BG MACR 14919 Crashed on take off exploded. 42-63531 462nd BG Schurlock Crew Crashed on take off.

9 July 1945 (pg 680)

JAPAN

During the night of 9-10 Jul, 1 mining, 1 HE and 4 incendiary missions are flown against Japan.

(Mission 256) Twenty-nine 6th BG B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and the waters at Niigata and Nanao; one B-29 mines an alternate target. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 257) One hundred twenty-three B-29's dispatched from the 58th BW attack the Sendai urban area destroying 1.2 square miles or 27% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 258) One hundred fifteen B-29's dispatched from the 73rd BW attack the Sakai urban area destroying 1.02 square miles or 44% of the city; three B-29's attack alternate targets.

(Mission 259) One hundred and eight B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Wakayama urban area destroying 2.1 square miles or 52.5% of the city.

(Mission 260) One hundred twenty-nine B-29's dispatched from the 314th BW attack the Gifu urban area destroying 1.93 square miles or 73% of the city. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 261) Sixty-one B-29's dispatched from the 315th BW attack the Utsube Oil Refinery at Yokkaichi with poor results; one B-29 hits an alternate target.

Lost aircraft: 42-93939 "Take It Off," 6th BG, MACR 14750, Schmid crew as well was 40th Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Elmer Dixson. Crashed in sea off the coast of Moji City, Fukuoka Prefecture: 11 KIA, 1 POW/Executed. 2nd Lt. Arthur Wright, Navigator, KIA 2nd Lt. Oliver Fix, Radar Man, KIA 2nd Lt. F/O Robert Ryan, Pilot, KIA Capt. Robert Schmid, Commander, KIA Capt. James Chatfield, Bombardiar, KIA Sgt. Juan Donato, Radio Operator, KIA Sgt. Andre Jacques, Right Gunner (Betty Precour's Brother), KIA Cpl. Robert Strickland, Left Gunner, KIA S/Sgt. Donald Winkler, Engineer, KIA Sgt. Joseph Beneski, Tail Gunner, KIA 40th Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Elmer Dixon, KIA Sgt. Jack Roy, CFC Gunner, POW: - Moved to Seibu Army Headquarters and later executed From Virg Morgan: "On 09 July, 1945, the Sixth Bomb Group, 313th Wing, Tinian lost our 40th Squadron Commander, Lt. Col Elmer Dixon, on a mining mission to the Shimonoseki Straits. Col. Dixon was an outstanding leader who had completed a North Africa tour before joining the Sixth. He was flying as observer with Captain Schmid's crew in the one plane in the Squadron that did not have a black bottom. This aircraft had just arrived and not yet received the black bottom nor had the prop deicing tank been removed. "They were coned by searchlights and brought down by night fighter fire with the flight deck observed on fire before the aircraft exploded in flight according to the personal account of the tail gunner in the ship forward of Dixons. The Sixth's Pirate Log states it was flak that got them but, in either event, we lost a great and humble pilot who had been brought back to the Army War College earlier in the year to address the brass on real world specifics of the Mariana operations. Dixon was very popular with the enlisted men for his willingness to talk and listen to us. May we never forget." Virg Morgan, 6th BG, Tinian 44/45 42-93944 498th BG, Taxi Accident, Salvage, Saipan 42-63531 462nd BG, Schurlock Crew, Crashed off runway, Entire Crew Safe 42-63747 - 502nd BG - MACR 14919 Another possible loss: 44-83964?

Ray Brashear's Navigator Notes: Mission 32: 7/10/45 Sakai ( So. of Osaka) Night incend 8,800 2010-0940 1330 48420 Opposition Meagre flak

T Square 54: Mission #34: Maj. Cruce(?), Saki urban area.

10 July 1945 (pg 681) No actions reported.

11 July 1945 (pg 681)

JAPAN

(Mission 262) During the night of 11-12 Jul, twenty-five B-29's dispatched from the 6th BG mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Miyazu, Obama Island and, in the first B-29 mission to Korea, 2 mine Pusan and Najin.

12 July 1945 (pg 682)

JAPAN

During the night of 12-13 Jul, 1 Bombing and 4 incendiary missions are flown. Three B-29's are lost.

(Mission 263) One hundred fifteen 58th BW B-29's attack the Utsunomiya urban area destroying .94 square miles or 34.2% of the city; 5 B-29's hit alternate targets. One B-29 is lost.

(Mission 264) One hundred twenty-three 73rd BW B-29's hit the Ichinomiya urban area destroying .01 square mile or .8% of the city; two B-29's hit alternate targets.

(Mission 265) Ninety-two B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Tsuruga urban area destroying .77 square miles or 68% of the city; two B-29's hit alternate targets.

(Mission 266) One hundred twenty-three B-29's dispatched from the 314th BW hit the Uwajima urban area destroying .14 square miles or 14% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.

(Mission 267) Fifty-three B-29's dispatched from the 315th BW attack the Kawasaki Petroleum Complex destroying about 25% of the target.

Two B-29's are lost (one between Guam and Tinian): 42-63653 16th BG MACR 14913 Krim Crew 10 KIA 42-24858 468th BG Stavin Crew 9 Survivors

T Square 54: Mission #35: Maj. Cruce(?), Ichinomiya urban area.

13 July 1945 (pg 682)

JAPAN:

(Mission 268) During the night of 13-14 July, thirty B-29's dispatched from the 6th BG mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Fukuoka and the waters in and around the ports of Seishin, Masan and Reisui Korea.

14 July 1945 (pg 683) No actions reported.

15 July 1945 (pg 684)

JAPAN

During the night of 15-16 July, 1 mining mission and 1 bombing mission are flown.

(Mission 269) Twenty-six 6th BG B-29's mine the waters at Naoetsu and Niigata, Japan and Najin, Pusan and Wonsan Korea; one B-29 mines an alternate target.

(Mission 270) Fifty-nine B-29's dispatched from the 315th BW bomb the Nippon Oil Company at Kudamatsu and the facility is almost completely destroyed; three B-29's attack alternate targets.

Two 73rd Wing aircraft were lost: unknown 497th Group aircraft with the Rodge crew; 44-61530 Z39 Gilbert crew crashed on Saipan.

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