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.
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