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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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"City Of Virginia Beach"
"Piece O' Meanness"
 B-29 # 42-65366

Jap Rufe Runs Afoul of Crew 28 - 5 May 1945

Not all missions flown by the crews of the 39th were for the purpose of bombing targets on the Japanese home island. Not infrequently certain B-29s would be assigned to "Superdumbo" missions to aid in searching for and rescuing men who had gone down in the ocean, either on the way to or coming back from strike.

It was on 5 May, while flying as a Superdumbo, that the 61st Squadron's Crew 28, commanded by Major Charley Miller, accomplished a most spectacular feat engaging a nip fighter plane in a dogfight and shooting down the enemy.

Miller and his crew had been conducting a routine search about forty miles south of the home island of Shikoku when they saw an American submarine surfaced just below them. Shortly after sighting the sub, they saw two Jap Rufes, a single engine fighter floatplane, coming in on a heading ninety degrees from their course and making for the submarine for the purpose of attacking her.

Seeing immediately the danger to the surfaced craft, Miller and his crew decided to join the battle and protect the naval vessel. The coal was poured on to the B-29 "City of Virginia Beach" and she closed with the fighters. At extreme range the bomber's gunners opened fire and one of the Rufes turned tail and headed for home. However, the other enemy pilot seemed to be made of sterner stuff and made a dive for the submarine, apparently with the intention of dropping depth charges.

The submarine started to crash dive and Miller's superfort and the Rufe met over the spot where the sub had begun to go below the surface. Far from daunted by the thought of B-29 bomber joining in aerial battle with a fast fighter, the crew of "City of Virginia Beach" bored right in. The Rufe executed a series 360 degree turns right over the spot where the sub was, and both airplanes were down to an attitude of 400 feet, although they had been at 800 when the fight started. When the Rufe pulled into level flight, Miller was slightly above him and about 100 yards directly astern.

1st Lt Ernest T. Rogers, bombardier, brought his guns to bear on the enemy plane, let him have a short burst, saw him catch fire crash into the sea and explode.

For his outstanding courage and achievement in this experience, Major Miller was awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster to his Distinguished Flying Cross for this mission.



Ground Crew

 

Ground P-28
Names Unknown

T/Sgt John M. Jack, Crew Chief

Anyone with additional information about this crew please email: updates@39th.org


61st Squadron Crew Index
Source: "History of the 39th Bomb Group"; tape interview with Graham E. Elvgren