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Mission: 1
Date: 12 April
Target: Hodogaya Chemical Plant
Bomber Command Mission: 65
Code Name: Lunchroom #1
The 330th Bomb Group (BG) arrived in the middle of an intensive bombing campaign by the Twentieth Air Force with the strategic objective of knocking the Japanese aircraft industry out of the war. To date, this campaign did not appear to be very successful since several major plants, such as the Nakajima Musashino Aircraft Plant north of Tokyo and the Mitsubishi Plant near Nagoya, seemed to be little damaged as a result of persistent daylight precision raids by B-29s flying in formation. A major reason was the weather, which hindered both assembling in formation at a remote point and then flying to the target, which might be covered in clouds or haze making visual bombing difficult or impossible.
The first strategic objective of the 314th Bomb Wing (BW), to which the 330th BG belonged, was to knock out the Hodogaya Chemical Plant (Target #6129), located north of Koriyama City. This plant was one of only two plants in Japan thought to be producing tetraethyl lead -an important additive in aviation gasoline. To that date, the mission would be the longest, both in time and distance, from the Marianas. The mission took about 18 hours. Finding and hitting this plant was no small navigational feat. Twenty B-29s were scheduled to participate in this mission with each plane carrying (8) 500lb Comp. B. GP, high explosive (HE) bombs. The Group averaged 2.2 tons of HE per aircraft and 7,425 gallons of fuel. The total weight of aircraft averaged 71 tons.
The planes took off at 12/0331 -12/0353G (1731Z to 1753Z4) at one-minute intervals, normally adhering to radio silence. The assembly point was Aoga Shima (an island about 250 statute miles south of Tokyo) and while circling at 1,000 to 1,500 feet, the aircraft were fired upon by a Japanese ship, described as a destroyer escort. One plane, K-53, Charles E. Tibbs, A/C, was hit, losing one engine and necessitating a return to Iwo Jima. Finally, two formations were formed consisting of 12 aircraft and 5 aircraft. One B-29 was late in taking off, never made it to the assembly point in time and dropped its bombs on a target of opportunity (T/O). Two other planes aborted.
The 12 plane formation, at an altitude of 7,000 to 8,000 feet, was off the briefed heading on the first bomb run and had to make a second run on a heading of 140 degrees with visibility at 8 miles in haze. The 5 plane formation attacked the plant on a heading of 234 degrees. Bombs were dropped between 12/1233G-12/1328G. At this low altitude, we were counting on surprise and it apparently was achieved. Japanese flak was described as meager and inaccurate and there was absolutely no fighter opposition. During landing at Guam, rain showers lowered ceilings at North Field but 13 planes landed from 12/2157 -12/2325G (1157 to 1325Z).
Three planes were diverted and landed safely at Harmon Field. On such a long flight, fuel management was critical. Average gas consumption was. 7,224 gallons, thus leaving an average of 200 gallons to spare. The highest gas consumer was K-32 with 7,447 gallons and the lowest K-6 with 6,975 gallons. As a diversion on these long missions, Michael Schulich, RO, K-42, stated that he would tune in the BBC and hear their symphony orchestra (their transmitter was either in London or Southeast Asia but the radio waves bounced off the ionosphere to be caught by K-42). But, most of the crew preferred Tokyo Rose over the BBC symphony. Bomb results were excellent. All the main buildings in the Group target area were damaged or destroyed, comprising 73 % of the target roof area, but the price was high, since the 330th BG lost two planes.
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CASUALTIES
Aircraft: K-59 SN 42-93837, MACR # 14238
1LT James Lawrence (A/C) -MIA, and 2LT Clive Wood (P) -MIA, were both presumed killed in crash 2LT Edward Hyde (N) -rescued, 2LT Arthur Pearson (B) -rescued, FO Robert Schneider, Rad Obs -MIA, presumed drowned TSGT Orval Haugen (FE) -rescued, PVT Lewis Wilhelm (RO) -rescued, SGT Donald Bush (CFC) -rescued, CPL Leo Richards (LG) -MIA, presumed drowned, CPL Michael Balogh (RG) -rescued, CPL Clinton Krauss (TG) -rescued.
This Crew was regularly assigned to K-55 but, on this mission, K-55 was out for an engine change and they flew K-59 instead. On the return flight from the Empire, the Loran and radio compass were inoperative, but the Nav was easily able to navigate along the Mariana chain of islands using radar. But, as the aircraft approached Guam, heavy low clouds and electrical interference blocked out the radar picture. At this point the aircraft was flying at minimum altitude and the Nav was confident that he could pick up Guam.
It is estimated that the plane was 15 miles west of Guam and probably too low for radar to be effective. After flying for 30 minutes longer, the Nav realized they had passed Guam and the radar operator requested a directional finding (DF) from the ground station. Due to an error on the part of the DF station, reciprocal bearings were sent out and a course of 180 out of phase with the correct heading to Guam were given. Since the Nav at this point was trying to get a celestial fix, he did not plot the bearings given to the plane. A total of three bearings were given to the plane between the initial request and the ditching low on fuel. Lawrence prepared the aircraft for ditching. Ditching followed the standard procedure going crosswind and parallel to the swells, flaps fully down and landing lights on (it was dark). The plane hit the water tail first. On impact, water rushed into the bomb bay and lower forward turret. The plane floated for two to three minutes when the nose and wings went upright and sank. Life rafts were released from inside the plane. It was about 2330G and the crew had been in the air for about 20 hours. It was their first combat mission. A/C and Pilot were not seen after impact. B and FE went through the engineer's hatch; CFC Gunner, N and RO went out the astrodome, which they had removed with an axe before ditching. In exiting the rear escape hatch, the RG pushed out the LG ahead of him and the Rad Obs, who had his chest pack on. The TG went through his escape hatch very easily. The N, B, FE, RO and CFC got in the life raft in the front of the plane. Two life rafts were released and they were then lashed together. One life raft was upside down but, at this point, the weight was so heavy that they did not have the strength to right it. They never saw the four who exited the rear of the plane. The RG and TG inflated their Mae West's and they were together, but they did not see the others. They did not have their one-man dinghies. They heard a cry for help but could not find the man in the darkness.
The five-crew men in the life raft did not have the Gibson Girl radio but they were confident that the plane's location was known since the ground station had a fix on them. Before ditching, the RO sent out an "I am ditching" message and screwed down the key. The Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) was in emergency positions. Actually, three stations; Iwo, Saipan and Guam, had an accurate fix on their location. They ditched at 11030' N by 142020' E at 2330G, 180 statute miles SW of Guam. The sea anchor on the life raft broke and they drifted several miles from the ditching location. At daybreak, to attract attention, smoke bombs, sea markers, mirrors and paddles were used. First they saw a C-47, which circled twice, but did not acknowledge the sighting. A Navy Dumbo appeared and circled and two others appeared and acknowledged the sighting by rolling their wings. The Dumbo circled, and kept circling, until a destroyer rescued them. Life rafts were dropped to the two in Mae West's. They were in the water for 18 hours and the TG could not swim. The Rad Obs and LG were never found and were presumed drowned.
Aircraft: K-14 SN 44-69795
1LT Robert Ziegele (A/C) -KIA 2LT George Longsdorf (P) -KIA 2LT Willard Lersch (N) -KIA 1LT Charles Cooper (B) -KIA 1LT David Anderson (Rad Ob) -KIA MSGT Ray Cline (FE) -KIA SSGT Clinton Spear (RO) -survived the crash SGT Clifton Coker -KIA SSGT Arthur Johnson, Jr. -KIA PFC Victor Wright -KIA CPL Nicholas Brando -KIA
Ziegele, K-14 A/C, making an instrument approach due to low ceiling and poor visibility at North Field, suffered wing damage when the plane brushed a tree on the initial landing attempt. It was about 12/2000 G. The damaged A/C was diverted to Agana (Harmon) Field and on the approach to Agana Field, the plane stalled short of the runway and crashed nose first, splitting in two.
The plane immediately burst into flames. The RO, Spear, walked out of the split in the fuselage and was the only survivor. The other ten men were buried at the Marine Cemetery at Agana, Guam. A personal note was added to this tragedy by Jackson Wallace, K-3 A/C. GEN Thomas Power, CO, 314th Bombardment Wing (BW) was Robert Ziegele' s uncle and, shortly after the crash, a second beacon was added at the North Field, which helped greatly in instrument landings.
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