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The
following crewmembers received the DFC from the C.O. of
the 314th Bomb Wing for a mission they led against Kokobu
Airbase on Kyushu. It was a Kamikaze base and their bombs
completely saturated the runways.
The
citation was awarded 6 September 1945 per General Orders
No. 56 and reads as follows:
"For
extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial
flight over the Japanese home island of Honshu 13 April
1945. These individuals were crewmembers of a B-29 aircraft
assigned to the highly successful night incendiary strike
from a base in the Marianas against the Tokyo arsenal
complex in the capital city of Japan. On their first bombing
run to the heavily defended target area, a malfunction
of the bomb bay doors made it impossible for them to drop
their bombs. Disregarding a shattering volume of continuously
pointed, heavy caliber anti-aircraft fire, augmented by
an estimated sixty searchlights and a number of enemy
searchlight teams, they turned off the target area, made
a 360 degree turn, and once again started through the
enemy defenses on the bombing run. On the second attempt,
the projectiles were released at an altitude of 9,000
feet with such accuracy that one hundred per cent of them
struck the assigned target area. This crew then took evasive
action through the storm of flak and returned safely to
base. The marked courage, exceptional airmanship, and
outstanding determination displayed by these veterans
of repeated assaults against the Japanese homeland on
this occasion contributed materially to the completion
of a mission which aided in the successful prosecution
of the war, and reflect great credit on themselves and
the Army Air Forces."
First
Lieutenant Charles J. Heeney (then 2nd Lt.) - Pilot
Flight Officer John J. Peny (then M/Sgt) - FE
T/Sgt Gearge A. Singleton (then Sgt) - CFC Gunner
S/Sgt Harold Krumnow (then Sgt) - Radio Operator
S/Sgt Donald C. Weiss (then Corp) - Tail Gunner
S/Sgt William S. Wren (then Sgt) - Blister Gunner
Sgt James J. White (then Corp) - Blister Gunner |
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