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| Date: | Sunday 20 August 1944 |
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29-5-BW Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-6264 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 12 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Jianhu County, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province -
 China
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
The Boeing B-29-5-BW #42-6264 nicknamed "O'Reilly's Daughter" took off from Pengshan Airbase, China to attack Yawata, Japan. Over Japan the bomber was damaged by AAA. Engine malfunction forced the crew to bail out near Chinese coast. The B-29 crashed at Huduo Town, Jianhu County, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, China. Five crew members were rescued by Chinese communist partisans, six became POW, and one MIA.
Crew:
Pilot: Lt. Col. William F. Savoie (s/n O-24115) - Returned to unit November 15th 1944
Co-pilot: 1st Lt. Raymond K. Lutz (s/n O-464590) - Returned to unit November 15th 1944
Navigator: Capt. Donald G. O'Brien (s/n O-426919) - Returned to unit November 15th 1944
Bombardier: Capt. Louis K. Wedel (s/n O-726095) - POW
RCM: 1st Lt. Robert C. Geyer (O-855161) - POW
Engineer: 1st Lt. Casimer F. Stelmach (O-738739) - Returned to unit November 15th 1944
Radar: T/Sgt. William A. Beckham (30403054) - POW
Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Walter W. Alspaugh (s/n 35402887) - POW
Senior Gunner: S/Sgt. Ernest J. Brundage (s/n 31258095) - Returned to unit November 15th 1944
Left Gunner: S/Sgt. James P. Meehan (s/n 35309815) - POW
Right Gunner: S/Sgt. Granville L. Adams, Jr (s/n 33522614) - MIA possibly drowned
Tail Gunner: T/Sgt. Rolland B. Hefferman (s/n 6999780) - POW
Sources:
Li, X. 2015. B-29 in China. Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China: Sichuan People's Publishing House. (in Chinese)
https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-29/42-6264.html
https://airnoseart.blogspot.com/2014/02/b-29-42-6264.html
http://dangshi.people.com.cn/n/2015/0618/c85037-27176905.html
https://www.nbs.cn/news/7/202312/t20231224_700575.html
https://szw.yancheng.gov.cn/art/2015/5/19/art_530_551533.html
https://www.12371.gov.cn/Item/647469.aspx
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2024 14:01 | RDV | Added |
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