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"Tian
Long"
("Sky Dragon")
B-29
# 42-65362
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Click
on the names above to learn more about the men
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Crew
52
Honor Roll |
|
| Capt
Richard E. Paquette |
Airplane
Commander |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| 1st
Lt Joe B. Medina |
Pilot |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| 1st
Lt Jack B. Covington |
Navigator |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| 1st
Lt Leon Tomberg |
Bombardier
- replacement |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| 2nd
Lt Gerald M. Levinson |
Radar
Observer |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| 1st
Lt William A. Reith |
Flight
Engineer |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| S/Sgt
Robert J. Sabol |
Radio
Operator |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| Sgt
MIlton F. Haines |
CFC
Gunner |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| Cpl
David W. Barr |
Tail
Gunner - replacement |
MIA:
24 May 1945 |
| Sgt
Sherwood C. Kiernan |
Right
Gunner |
July
1980 |
| 1st
Lt Robert C. Morton |
Bombardier
- injuried 14 May mission |
September
1983 |
| S/Sgt Lewis E. Howard |
Tail Gunner |
14 June 2007 |
| The
status of Lloyd R. Hill, Left Gunner is unknown |
| On
May 24, the 39th flew its first of the devastating fire
raids on Tokyo. By One AM, dozens of fires lit up
the skies and huge billows of smoke shrouded the city.
The pathfinders had gone over the city to light the way.
The main bombing force had just started dropping and smoke
columns were rising to
over 10,000 feet already Twelve of the 34 planes
bombed visually, the rest, by radar.
Flak,
searchlights, and several "fire-balls" plus the thermal
currents made it a living hell. Frantic
"May Day" calls from crippled B-29s filled the air waves.
Many would be forced to ditch or abandon their planes.
The
toll in B-29 losses was the heaviest to date. Twenty-six
Superforts went down and at least eighty others received
some degree of damage. Captain Paquette and his
crew were one of those twenty-six lost that night.
|
Update:
15 July 2009
Added: MACR 14490 to section. This report is a PDF file. It can be viewed by using a PDF view software. Adobe's Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free from adobe.com or click 
01 February 2008
Added: list of missions for Crew 52 (Paquette Crew)
8 December 2005
While
searching the WWII Memorial Registry for the names of
the men of this crew in an attempt to find POC with family
members - an entry for S/Sgt Robert J. Sabol was found
- made by his sisters - states the Sabol was lost on his
9th mission. No names of family making the entry were
indicated.
Also
- DFC's were listed for Paquette, AC; Covington, Bombardier
and Levinson, Radar by the American Battle Monuments Commission's
Tablets of the Missing database. The circumstances of
the award of this DFC are unknown. If you have a copy
of the Distinguished Flying Cross orders covering these
men .. we would be interested in obtaining a copy. |
| Some
interesting questions come to mind: |
*According
to the 39th Bomb Group Casualties list, 1st Lt Robert C.
Morton is listed as seriously wounded in action. Ralph
Weston, Crew 47, wrote that Morton
had been wounded by a 20MM phosphorous shell on the 14 May
mission to Nagoya. He was the "lucky" one because of the
wound, he did not perish with Capt Paquette and the others
May 24, 1945
Who was the bombardier?
Update: August 2001 - per
phone conversation with Lewis Howard, August 2001 - Morton
being wounded was further confirmed: He was dropped off
at Iwo Jima.
Based on information
found in the American
Battle Monument Commission's online WWII War Dead Honor
Roll database; 1st Lt. Leon Tomberg, who is listed as
bombardier on Crew 50 (lost 27
April 1945) is listed as MIA on the 24 May 1945 (same as
this crew). Crew photos are courtesy of Rick Paquette, son
of Capt. Paquette - Tomberg's photo was included. |
| **
Lloyd R. Hill and Sherwood C. Kiernan became POW’s and returned
after the conclusion of the war. |
***
Corp Lewis was on sick call during this mission. Sgt Henry
Matthaus of P-44 is said to have gone with P-52 that mission,
however according to Crew 44 accounts Mathaus was killed
by a direct hit to the tail gunner compartment of P-44's
aircraft. Later Lewis ended up on
P-44.
Who was the tail gunner on this
mission?
Update:
August 2001 - Based on information found in the American
Battle Monument Commission's online WWII War Dead Honor
Roll database; Cpl David W. Barr is listed as MIA on
the 24 May 1945 (same as this crew). Crew photos are courtesy
of Rick Paquette, son of Capt. Paquette - Barr's photo was
included; David W. Barr is listed on the Casualties List
of the Group. |
| If
anyone has any information regarding the nose art that was
on P-52 please contact Rick Paquette, Son of Airplane Commander,
at paquett@hughes.net |
| If
anyone has any further info regarding this crew please email
updates@39th.org |
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