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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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Award of Distinguished Flying Cross
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Crew 20 was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for their participation in a mission against Nagoya on 26 June 1945. The citation reads as follows:

"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 26 June 1945. These individuals were combat members of a B-29 aircraft in the memorable daylight strike from base in the Marianas against the high priority target of Nagoya, Japan. They assembled off the coast of Honshu and made the bombing run undeterred by continuous opposition from closely pressed attacks by enemy fighters and intense and accurate flak. The entire formation dropped bombs with devastating results. Immediately thereafter, a burst of anti-aircraft fire from heavy caliber guns seriously damaged their plane. Despite the crippled condition of their own aircraft, they unhesitatingly maneuvered to give protective cover to a B-29 more gravely damaged than their own. The deep devotion to duty and courage and high degree of professional skill displayed by these veteran combat crewmen aided materially in the prosecution of the war and reflect great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces."

For some unexplained reason, some of the crew did not receive the DFC. Tom Campbell, Pilot; Harry Robinson, Bombardier; Charles Castle, Flight Engineer; and Gunners William Emery and Joshua Shubin were the only ones of the crew so named. Radio Operator, Henry Wysocki and Castle have tried to continuously to get this gross injustice corrected.

But 47years have passed and Wysocki, now 73*, is still appealing the to the bureaucracy, but no one seems to want to be listening.

Flight Engineer Charles Castle recalls that their crew buddied this plane a few miles off the Japanese coast and watched as the entire crew bailed out.

"Our radio operator, Sgt Wysocki, had contacted a sub giving them our position and that of the downed crewmembers. We continued to circle overhead until the rescue submarine picked up all men. All the while, we were flying on three engines, as one had been knocked out by flak. Incidentally we chose not to land at Iwo.

The Flight Engineer on the disabled B-29 was George Mantak. The survivors remained on the sub for three weeks. After returning to Guam, the crew was sent to Hawaii for two weeks of rest of relaxation."

* Henry Wysocki passed away in 1995, it is not known if he ever received his DFC.

Crew 20 Main Page

60th Squadron Crew Index
Sources: "History of the 39th Bomb Group"