Hap Halloran remembers, "January 27, 1945 was a crucial day in my life. During the intervening years and days since that date, memories have persisted about those long ago events. I was navigator on the Rover Boys Express B-29 crew. We were based on Saipan - 878th Squadron, 499th Bomb Group (VH), 73rd Wing. Our crew was flying V Square 27 that day. Our target was 357, Nakijima Aircraft Plant in Musashino on the western edge of Tokyo.

Contrary to our briefing, which forecasts light flak and very little fighter opposition at our altitude, we immediately experience much fighter opposition. Flak and fighter activity intensifies as we make our turn to the east to set up our bomb run.

We are on a bomb run, at an altitude of 32,000 feet, west of Tokyo. A Japanese fighter comes in from 11 o'clock high blazing away. At first it appears to be a ramming attack. Suddenly there is a tremendous explosion within the front of the plane. The "greenhouse" is severely damaged and there is damage to two engines as well. The outside air temperature of minus 58 degrees rushes in to replace the prior 50 degree Fahrenheit temperature in our pressurized plane.

My best recall is that I parachuted from the critically damaged V square 27 at approximately 27,000 feet. I fell free until I opened my chute east of Tokyo at about 3,000 feet. The extreme cold at high altitude; the long free fall and shock and fear affected me physically and mentally as I hung in my chute. My landing on enemy soil  was imminent.  I was frightened.

Then I saw three Japanese fighters several miles  away at my altitude.  They were heading directly at me. I feared the worst. They throttled back and circled very close to me.  Two of the planes left.

The third plane circled back and came in very close to me.  I waved my arms over my head. He was very close and slightly below me.  I could clearly see the pilot as he was abreast of me.  Then he SALUTED me and flew away.  That event was beyond my comprehension at that time. Fifty five years later that pilot, Hideichi Kaiho, and I were embracing at his son's home in Tokyo.  I also visited him again in 2002.  He was ill and confined to his bed.  The visits were obviously positive for each of us.  I was invited by his son, Itsuo, to attend and participate at his Father's funeral on June 23, 2004.  Hideichi had died two days before our originally  planned third meeting.  I did attend and was led to the casket of his Father.  I knelt and prayed; then arose and standing at the head of his casket I SALUTED him.  This took place fifty nine years after he had SALUTED me as I hung in my parachute on January 27, 1945 after our B 29 had been shot down over Tokyo.”

Hap continues, “I made a very rough landing.  My hands and feet were frozen from the -58 degree temperature at high altitude and during the free fall. I am hurt. I can barely move. Civilians are forming a ring around me. They are beating me with boards and metal rods and large rocks. They are jumping on me and kicking me.  I am fading in and out.  Then Japanese soldiers arrived.  They cut up my parachute and tied my hands and feet and blindfolded me; loaded me on a truck.  I was taken to the Kempei Tai torture prison in downtown Tokyo adjacent to the Imperial Palace grounds.  Severe interrogations took place before I was placed in solitary confinement in a cage.  I shook from the cold and fear.  My future looked bleak.

  We were given only one basic meal.  A serving of rice about the size of a golf ball loaded with bugs - alive and dead.  Generally three such servings per day were rolled into our cages. On days when B 29s or carrier planes raided Tokyo we only received two meals on that day. Silence - no talk allowed - prevailed in the wooden stable where our cages were.

If we were lucky we received a cup of hot or cold water or on rare occasions a cup of tea.  On a few  occasions we received a small piece of black seaweed with the rice. 

In early April,1945 for reasons not known 32 B 29ers were moved from various holding locations in the greater Tokyo area to Omori POW camp on the southwest edge of Tokyo.  What a thrill that was; to be reunited with any surviving crew members and other B 29ers.

The food rations for B 29ers continued at 50% rations compared to other Allied POWs.  We were never classified as POWs.  We were Federal prisoners on trial for our lives, and were compelled to "sign off" on Geneva Conference rules.

Food at Omori was still dirty rice (with bugs). However we occasionally received a very small serving of unidentifiable soup; and perhaps every 10 days or so we received about six fish eyes and a few fish bones - to be divided among the 32 of us. 

 There were many difficult hours and days until that wonderful day of liberation on August 29, 1945 - two weeks after the war ended.

We have much to be thankful for."