Z SQUARE 7, A B-29 TRUE STORY

Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 1

Home
The Z Square 7 Crew
Z Square 7 Crew Families
Z Square 7 Crew Cemeteries.
Missing Air Crew Report
Z Square 7 Crew Military Funeral
Memorial Lt Eugene M. Thomas Jr (Marion, Al)
Memorial Lt Francis X. Glacken (Cambridge, MA)
Memorial Lt Norman B. Bassett (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY)
Marcia Bassett McGrattan
Memorial Sgt George P. Demers (Lynn, MA)
Memorial Sgt George P. Demers (Lynn, MA)
Peter & Lillian Demers/Charlotte (Demers) Fiasconaro
Memorial Sgt Louis A. Dorio (Clarksville, VA)
POW-MIA-KIA Ceremony
Bill Mauldin With Willie And Joe
Father John McBride
S/Sgt Kenneth O. Eslick with Photo Album
Sgt Jesse S. Klein. 41-13180
Sgt James B. Rice, Radio Operator, C47, 42-108884
Frank Farr & Merseburg, Germany
Ivan Fail Introduction and "Long Before The Guns And Tanks."
Ivan Fail's "Tribute to the Queen"
NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL
Frank Farr Poetry "November 2, 1944", "Old Men And The War", " Merseburg"
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Pages Introduction
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Crew Index
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 1
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 2
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 3
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 4
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 5
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Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 9
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 10
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 11
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 12
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 13
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 14
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 15
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 16
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 17
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 18
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 19
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 20
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 21
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 22
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 23
Zachary Taylor Nat'l Cemetery Memorial Page 24
Ivan Fail's "The Tuskegee Airmen"
Memorial Page #1
Memorial Page #2
Memorial Page #3
Memorial Page #4
Memorial Page #5
Memorial Page #6
The Navajo Code Talkers & Native American Medals Of Honor
Ivan Fail's "D Day, The Normandy Invasion"
Ivan Fail's "When The Mustangs Came"
Ivan Fail's "Against All Odds - Mission Complete"
Ford Tolbert by Sallyann
Ford Tolbert Pictures
A Tribute to Lt Raymond "Hap" Halloran
Lt Raymond "Hap" Halloran
Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, USMC, The Black Sheep Squadron
Lt Halloran Eulogy for Colonel Boyington
Omori POW Camp
Ivan Fail's "A Salute To Lt. Holguin"/ "Shoo Shoo Baby"
General Lemay's biography including a B-29 nose art photo album
March 9 and 10, 1945 Over Tokyo
Lt "Hap" Halloran on March 10, 1945
General Earl Johnson
General Earl Johnson Biography
313th Bomb Wing Mining Missions
Lt Robert Copeland, copilot, Z Square 8
Pyote Bomber Base With A Photo Album
"Hap" Halloran induction Combat Airman Hall of Fame
Blackie Blackburn with a photo album
Hap's Memorable Flight On FIFI
C. Douglas Caffey, A WW2 Veteran, Book Of Poetry
C. Douglas Caffey Collection Of Poetry
C. Douglas Caffey Poetry
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "Graveyard at the Bottom of the Sea"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "I Saw Liberty Crying"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "Old Memories"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "I Saw An Old Veteran"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "Flying Backwards"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "All Is Quiet On Iwo Jima"
C. Douglas Caffey Poem "Bones In The Sand"
C. Douglas Caffey on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
C. Douglas Caffey With More on PTSD
C. Douglas Caffey Memorial Day Flying The Flag
C. Douglas Caffey Saying Goodbye To America
The Pacific Theater
Battle of Saipan, Mariana Islands
Saipan Medals of Honor
Battle of Tinian, Mariana Islands
Tinian Medals of Honor
Battle of Guam, Mariana Islands
Guam Medals of Honor
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima Medals of Honor
Cpl Ira Hayes, USMC
Battle of Okinawa
Okinawa Medals of Honor
Ivan Fail's "The Saga Of The Superfortress"
Ivan Fail's "The Silent Sentries"
Last Page

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This B-17 Flying Fortress, 42-30398, “Patches,” and crew were assigned to the 429th Squadron of the 2nd Bomb Group. On October 29, 1943 the aircraft was hit with flak with seven crewmembers killed and three crewmembers taken prisoner. On February 15, 1950 one crewmember was buried in Section E Site 294 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. 



1/Lt George R. Howell, Pilot (KIA)
2/Lt Edward E. Gray, Copilot (KIA)
2/Lt John W. Cashore, Navigator (POW)
2/Lt Berbard J. Lewis, Bombardier (KIA)
T/Sgt Paul B. Cassingham Gunner (KIA)  Florence American Cemetery

S/Sgt Francis X. Hughes Gunner (POW)
S/Sgt Leland L. Dishong, Gunner (KIA)   Zachary Taylor National Cemetery
S/Sgt Byron R. Drury, Gunner (KIA)
S/Sgt Robert L. Thompson, Tailgunner (POW)
T/Sgt Robert H. Bryson, Radio Operator (KIA)  Florence American Cemetery

 

 Genoa,Italy - Mission No. 90 October 29,1943.

The primary target for this date was the Ball Bearing Works at Turin, Italy. Due to a cloud cover over the target, the Marshalling Yards at Genoa were bombed by 28 aircraft that dropped 345, 500 lb GP bombs. Some hits were observed through cloud cover around the target hindering bombing and observation of results. Flak over the target was very heavy, good altitude, poor deflection.

B-17 42-30398, piloted by 1st Lt George R. Howell, was hit by flak just after dropping its bombs. The plane caught fire and disintegrated in midair.


Statement of S/Sgt Francis H. Hughes, after liberation. "About 30 seconds after dropping our bombs, our plane was hit by two bursts of flak. One burst hit in the radio room and the other hit at the tail wheel. As soon as our plane was hit, the pilot told us to bail out. I was flying in the ball turret position. I was watching the bombs go to the target when we were hit. After getting out of the turret and getting on my chute, I saw the front of the plane was broken off at the radio room, and I bailed out through this opening".

"I did a delayed jump of about eight or ten thousand feet...at that time, I also saw that the plane had broken off at the tail wheel, leaving only the waist of the plane floating".

"I landed in the water of Genoa Harbor and was shot in the shoulder while in the water, was given first aid and then taken to a hospital. After around 10 days, in a private room, I was moved out and met Sgt Thompson who told me Lt Cashore had just left for prison camp." During this time, I did not see, nor hear, of any of the rest of those not mentioned above.


 
There is a SECOND book, called “Defenders of Liberty”, on the 2nd Bomb Group which has a repeat of the narrative in the book “The Second Was First.” It has a slightly different description of the loss of 42-30398.

Plane number 42-30398 "Patches", piloted by Lt George R. Howell, of the 429th Squadron, took a devastating flak strike through the fuel tank for number 3 engine seconds after bombs away. Now in flames, the plane nosed up, rolled completely over, went into a spin, and soon started to disintegrate. Observers reported four and five parachutes.

The narrative related by S/Sgt Francis H. Hughes is repeated word for word as in the first book, with the added sentence "These three crewmen, Hughes, Thompson, and Cashore were the only survivors".


"One of those who perished on Lt Howell's crew, was the radio operator, T/Sgt Robert H. Bryson. He had written the poem, which is recorded in the 429th Squadron History." This is the Poem referred to :

Lightnings in The Sky

Oh, Hedy Lamarr is a beautiful gal
And Madeline Carrol is too,
But, you'd find if you query a different theory,
Among any bomber crew;
For the loveliest thing of which one could sing,
(This side of The Heavenly Gates),
Is no blonde or brunette of the Hollywood set,
But an escort of P-38's.

Yes, in the days that were passed, when the tables were massed,
With Glasses of Scotch or Champagne,
It's quite true that the sight was a thing to delight,
Us ,no longer the same nowadays in this game,
When we head North from Messina Straits;
Take the sparkling wine, make mine every time,
An escort of P-38's.

Byron, Shelley and Keats, ran at least a dozen dead heats,
Describing the view from the hills,
Or the valleys in May, when the winds gently sway,
An army of daffodils;
Take the daffodils, Byron, the wild flowers Shelley,
Yours to the myrtle, friend Keats,
Just reserve me, those cuties, those American beauties,
An escort of P-38's.

Sure, we're braver than hell,
On the ground all is swell,
In the air it's a different story;
We sweat out our track, through the fighters and flak;
While we're willing to split up the glory,
Well, they wouldn't reject us, so heaven protect us,
And, before all this shooting abates;
Give us courage to fight 'em, and
One other small item,
an escort of P-38's.

T/Sgt Robert H. Bryson

Thanks to Jim Peters for referencing these books called “The Second Was First" and “Defenders Of Liberty” which are available from the 2nd Bomb Group Association. 


 From Jim Peters:

I was stationed at Tortorella, which was approx 8 1/2 miles east of the little town of Foggia on the south side of a road to Manfrdonia,...a small fishing village on the Adriatic coast.


Amendola was approx 2 1/2 miiles further east on the north side of the same road to Manfredonia. The two AAFs were so close, that when the 2nd and 97th took off, they flew right over our tents in my squadron area, at an altitude of some 100 ft or so, on the first circle, and then on each succeeding circle (to form the Group) they were some 200 or so feet higher.

James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt
B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions
99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF
Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy
My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45
M/Sgt USAF (Retired)

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This B-26 Marauder, 43-34393, and crew were assigned to the 37th Squadron of the 17th Bomb Group. On October 12, 1944 the aircraft crashed for unknown reasons in enemy territory near Bologna, Italy. The target was troop concentrations near Firenzuola, Italy.  On January 20, 1950 two members of the crew were buried in Section E Site 223 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

 

S/Sgt Glanert, Eugene E Jr     Zachary Taylor National Cemetery

S/Sgt Harder, Irwin W             Zachary Taylor National Cemetery      

2/Lt Thomas E. Hughes, Pilot

2/Lt Morris Margolis,              Florence American Cemetery

T/Sgt John A. Ingram

S/Sgt William C. Gibson

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This B-26, 42-96021, crashed on July 20, 1944. They were assigned to the 34th Squadron of the 17th Bomb Group. Two crewmembers were buried on December 9, 1949 in Section E Plot 225 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

 


1/Lt  J M Baker, pilot      Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Capt H L Carlson, copilot     Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Capt T B Elliott, bombardier     Buried Florence American Cemetery, Italy

1/Lt  J G Lynd, navigator       Buried Florence American Cemetery, Italy

S/Sgt W B O'Donovan                       Survived - POW

S/Sgt W Russell  Survived - POW

S/Sgt R D Wilcox    Buried Florence American Cemetery, Italy

 

Col Donald E Gilbert, Group Commander flying as formation commander

                                          Unknown burial location.

 

1st Lt. James M. Baker, 34th Bomb Squadron, 17th Bomb Group, was KIA 20 July 1944  aboard B-26 Ser #42-96021. While on their bombing run against the Ostiglia Road Bridge near Corniglio, Italy, Baker's aircraft was hit by accurate anti-aircraft fire, knocking out one of the plane's two engines and jamming the bomb bay doors open. Numerous eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane lose altitude, even as the crew began to jettison all loose equipment. The aircraft eventually struck a mountain overlooking the town of Bosco di Corniglia, exploding on impact.


On July 20th 1944 the 17th Bomb Group attacked Ostiglia bridge, Italy. The trip was 915 miles long and, due to lack of fuel, the ships were expected to land on Corsica to refuel and return to their base the next day. All ships returned except the lead B26 which was reported crashed near the Adriatic coast. The lead crew, flying in B26 42-96021 #22 had gone onto single engine after leaving the target and had crashed into a ridge line while losing altitude. S/Sgt W B O'Donovan and S/Sgt W Russell survived the crash and were taken prisoner, while the rest of the crew were killed.

 

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Services were held for these crews on March 8, 1949 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Section E 29. 

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44-69881, 52nd Squadron, 29th Bomb Group, 314th Wing

Standing L to R:
#2 - 1st Lt Waldo C. Everdon, Airplane Commander; # 5 2nd Lt John J. O'Conner, Bombardier

Other members of the crew yet to be identified in the photo:
F/O Tim Arhutick - Pilot
Sgt Ernest D. Bergeron - CFC Gunner
F/O Monroe M. Cohen - Radar Observer
Cpl Herbert A. Kellogg - Radio Operator
Sgt John Puciloski - Right Gunner
Cpl William B. Stockburger, Jr. - Flight Enginner
Cpl John W. Cameron - Left Gunner
Cpl Arthur J. Morretta - Tail Gunner
2nd Lt Edwin A. Rodeheffer, Jr. - Navigator
2nd Lt Newton Earle Towle, Jr. - Pilot (acting as Aerial Observer)

Subject: crew member of  29th B.G ,collision

Just in case you dont know tne man standing with his crew under the B-29 picture, in this site is, Monroe Cohen of the 29 bomb group 52 BS crew. He was the radar operator. He is the last man standing from left to right.Monroe was born in Brooklyn N.Y. He metioned to my Grandmother that some of the other guys in the crew were also from N.Y.   Keith Meyers email: soldora62@optonline.net

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Section E, 29

Click here for the 39th Bomb Group Association!

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42-65373, 62nd Squadron, 39th Bomb Group, 314th Wing

L to R Front Row:
F/O Maurice E. Long Radar Observer
F/O William G. Joyce Pilot
Capt Donald Q. Hopkins Airplane Commander
F/O Kenneth E. Durham Navigator
F/O Maurice J. Powsner Bombardier
L to R Back Row:
S/Sgt Thomas G. Ulrich CFC Gunner
Sgt Kenneth Colli Right Gunner
M/Sgt Gerhard J. Kuehler Flight Engineer
Sgt Justin J. Patsey Left Gunner
Unknown position in photo:
S/Sgt Edward J. Mose Radio Operator
Sgt Raymond E. Barczak Tail Gunner

On the night of 19 June 1945, 123 Guam based B-29's Bombed the City of Shizouka. More than 2000 Japanese were killed and 60 percent of the city was destroyed.

Two of the aircraft did not return with the others. One was Crew 42 of the 39th Bomb Group and one from the 29th Bomb Group. They collided and crashed near the Abe River, about 150 miles south of Tokyo. A Japanese citizen Mr. Ito found two surviving crewmen and tried to help them. These two men died of their injuries so Mr. Ito buried the two flyers at a Shinto Shrine at the base of Mt. Sengen and gave them a Shinto burial. This act took great courage because it was the violating the military law; all enemies, dead or alive were to be turned over to the authorities. For this act, Mr. Ito was labeled a traitor and forced to live in disgrace until the war's end. Following the war, Ito built a monument to the Japanese citizens killed in that raid and wanted to erect one for the airmen who lost their lives. He needed to inscribe their names, and according to his religion, the matter had to be resolved within thirty (30) years. The efforts to get the names began a warm and strong relationship between the Japanese and the Americans that still continues today.

Mr. Ito became a Buddhist monk and continued a ceremony at the monument annually with the help of Dr. Sugano. When Ito died, Dr. Sugano was entrusted with the "Blackened Canteen" recovered from the crash site and used in the ceremony for over twenty years. From this canteen whisky was poured on the headstone of the monument.

In January 1995, Harry Mitchell, President of the 29th Bomb Group Association was contacted to by Dr. Sugano to aid in locating family members of the two crews. John B. Colli, brother of Kenneth Colli, Crew 42, and Mrs. Margaret Delago, wife of John Pauciloski of the 29th Bomb Group were located by Mr. Mitchell and his wife. These four were invited to Japan as the guests of Dr. Sugano to attend the 1995 Joint Memorial Service in Shizuoki City 17 June. Col. Michael G. King, Vice Commander 374 th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan. Many other U.S. dignitaries attended.

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