Page Eleven

On arrival back in California, it was determined that the crews would be split between the Kadena AFB in Okinawa and the Yakota AFB in Japan. We were assigned to Yakota.

The Air Force arranged for our car and furniture to be put in storage. Madeleine, Joyce and Bill took a train back to Chicago, where they stayed during the seven months I was in Japan,

Our assigned flight engineer was recalled to duty as a glider pilot while in Florida, so we got a replacement. Also, prior to leaving for Japan, two of our gunners left the crew because of illness in their families. So much for a trained crew! The first flight in a B29, for the two gunners, was our first combat mission.

While much could be written about the 47 missions over Korea, I will highlight just a few examples. Most missions were fairly routine and there was no reason to remember the details.

One of our early missions was quite eventful for most of the crew when we were hit by light flak. Only the co-pilot, the bombardier, and I had experienced being shot at before. The crewmembers could see only four holes in a portion of the left wing; however, we knew there was at least one in the fuselage since we were losing pressure. This was no big concern since we were going down to 8000 feet soon after bombs away. While preparing for landing, as I took my briefcase from the floor behind my seat, it became apparent where the pressure leak was located. A piece of flak had come up under my table and seat, gone through my briefcase, and lodged in the inverter mount. I still have a picture of the briefcase and insert. I also have a damaged map from the briefcase.

Another mission. As a result of North Korean MIG (fighter aircraft) activity, a triangular area called the ABC area was designated on the south side of the bridge crossing the Yalu River between Antung (Manchuria) and Sinuiju (North Korea). No B29 was to enter the ABC area without fighter escort. The area was also known as MIG alley. Our first trip to MIG Alley wasn't too bad, even though the 307th from Okinawa lost one plane. Note how much better it sounds to say lost one plane instead of ten men.

Five days later, on April 12th, we again made the trip. Since Manchuria was off limits to us, we used a water initial point (IP) in the yellow sea and made our bomb run in a northeast direction up the Yalu, making sure we stayed over the Korean half. Our fighter escort, F84's out of Suwan, could stay with us for about eight minutes, if things worked right, with five minutes before and three minutes after bombs away. I still have my navigation log for this mission (12 April 1951).

The following is an excerpt from the book - The Korean Air War:

“On 7 April 1951, forty -eight F84 E Thunderjets escorted B29 Superfortresses to the railway bridge at Sinuiju. Thirty MIGs attacked the American warplanes. Though only one MIG got through, it downed a B29 belonging to the 307th. As for the target, the bridge was battered but still standing. On 12 April, three Superfortress groups hit the bridge again, MIGs swarmed down through the Sabre screens and escorting Thunderjets. At least two B29s were shot down, and five were damaged. B29 crews claimed ten MIGS shot down and the Thunderjets claimed three probables! "

I know our group again lost no planes, but some were damaged (we were not). If my memory serves me right, the mission on 12 April was the one that resulted in Washington directing that no B29 was to go within 12 miles of the Yalu River, with or without fighter escort. I know we never went back.

Another mission that was a close call, and ended tragically for some, was with the target being the downtown airstrip (military) in Pyongyang. I also still have my navigation log from this mission. We were to fly deputy lead (#2), but another crew that was in lead crew training, asked to switch positions. We moved over to the #3 position (leader’s right wing).

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