WB\WB45gGf28\P28-VC1

W45AUTH\CV28P-VC.DOC

Crew #12, as of Feb 28 1945, by M-2; Daniel Sidelko Crew Chief; Photo May 15, 1945

Loc	Duty	Rank 08-45	Rank 02-45	Name	ASN	MOS	Home
1S	AC	Maj	Capt	Chandler, Vernon L.	0-424429	1093	Bakersfield, CA
2S	P	(1)	1st Lt	Stevens, James F.	0-886246	1024	Daytona Beach FL
	P	1st Lt	2nd Lt	Wayne C. Christensen	0-777113	1091	Allen, NB
3S	N	1st Lt	1st Lt	Lane, George H Jr	0-685509	1034	Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
4S	B	1st Lt	1st Lt	Allen, Neil C.	0682448	1035	Lincoln, NB
5S	RO	(2)	2nd Lt	Hermes, Frank J Jr	0-2060285	0142	Cincinnati, OH
	RO	F/O	F/O	Richard C. Ackerman	T-131520	0142	Gardner, MA
1K	FE	F/O	T/Sgt	Galbreath, Harold L	18043145	737	Devers, TX
2K	R	S/Sgt	Cpl	Tannehill, Robert W	33738076	2756	Arlington, VA
3K	CFC	T/Sgt	Cpl	Snook, Douglas F	36509353	580	Saginaw, MI
4K	RG	S/Sgt	Cpl	Kurre, Roy H	15170807	611	Scotch Plains, NJ
5K	LG	S/Sgt	Cpl	Kindberg, Rutger H	31431849	611	Rehobeth, MA
6K	TG	Sgt	Cpl	Kerzner, Andrew J	42071561	611	Glendale, Long Island, NY

(1) Became AC of Crew 15 replacing Seitz

(2) Wounded over Kawasaki on April 15th, Purple Heart and home; replaced by Ackerman

See story by Tailgunner A. Kerzner

Story by Vern Chandler

Vernon Chandler was raised in dairy farming communities near Everett, Washington. He had completed two years of college and was a member of the 161st Infantry Regiment, 41st Division, Washington National Guard when the United States started mobilizing for World War II. The Division was called to active duty at Fort Lewis, Washington in September 1940. He had applied for pilot training with the U.S. Army Air Corps and entered the Flying Cadet program in January 1941, graduating as a pilot and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1941.

Vern was assigned duty as a Basic Flight Instructor at Bakersfield, California. While there, he met and married Katie London before reassignment to Hobbs, New Mexico as a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber instructor in June 1943. Next, he volunteered for the B-29 Superfortress program and was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group for training at Great Bend, Kansas. After completion of training as a Lead Crew, he proceeded to the wartime destination at North Field, Guam in February 1945 and was promoted to Major in June 1945.

Crew 12 of the 28th Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group(Very Heavy), was formed at Great bend AAF, Kansas in August 1944. Since my previous duty was as a B-17 transition pilot Instructor with about 2800 hours of flight time, we were designated to train as a squadron lead crew and other experienced people were assigned. Our Copilot, Lt. James F. Stevens, had completed a combat tour as a bomber pilot with the Royal Air Force in England and was to fly with us until familiar with our United States aircraft and operating procedures. Lt. Neil C. Allen, Bombardier, and Lt. George H. Lane, Navigator, had also been flight instructors so were experienced and skilled in their specialties. The rest of the crew, T/Sgt Harold Galbreath, Flight Engineer, Lt. Frank Hermes, Radar-Navigator, Cpl Bob Tannehill, Radio Operator, and gunners, Cpl Douglas Snook, Cpl Roy Kurre, Cpl Rutger Kindberg and Cpl Andy Kerzner, were fresh from their various training courses. We were all eager to fly the giant B-29 Superfortress and completed the training curriculum in good time and without incident in January 1945.

We were assigned a shiny new B-29, Number 44-49680 and joined the movement of our combat-ready 19th Bombardment Group(VH) through staging bases at Kearney AAF, Nebraska and Mather AAF at Sacramento, California toward it's wartime destination. Our Squadron Commander, Lt. Colonel George T. Chadwell, flew with us to our new home at North Field, Guam in the Marianas islands where we arrived on February 20, 1945.

Fig 2 Jack Dempsey visits crew of City of Bakersfield in Pacific

At an advanced bomber base in the Pacific, Coast Guard Comdr. Jack Dempsey calls on crew members of a Superfortress -- City of Bakersfield -- and wishes them smooth flying over Tokyo. The giant bombers are being named for cities and these airmen point to a map which locates Bakersfield, Calif., the city they chose to represent. Commander Dempsey got in a punch at the Japs himself when he participated in the recent landing assults on Okinawa aboard a Coast Guard-manned invasion ship.

We spent a few days to become oriented, make a few repairs to the aircraft and fly an Instrument calibration and practice bombing mission. We christened our B-29 "Princess Pat" (see photo at end) in honor of my year old daughter. Each engine was named for the child of another crew member -- Bruce, Mike, Dianna Lynne and Sally. However, a few months later the commanding General decided that "nose art" was getting too risqué and had us name our aircraft after a chosen city in the United States. Ours became "City of Bakersfield" for the California town where my wife and daughter were staying, but the name "Princess Pat" and the engine names always remained in small print!

[M#039; 03-04-45; Wings 73-313-314; Night; General Purpose bombs; 25-28,000 ft Altitude; Tokyo; Nakajima Aircraft Factory at Musashino "Enkindle #5"

20th AF Airborne=192; Abort=14; Loss=1(unk cause); Bomb load=5646 lb; Fuel Reserve=947 gal

28th Airborne=(9): VChandler#1, CWells#1, JSimmons#1, FMaupin#0, ESeitz#1, ___, ___, ___, ___]

VChandler #1 [M-2, 4000 lb load, high altitude radar recon and bombing mission, sighted Iwo Invasion enroute.]

Now fully ready for combat, on March 4th we took off on our first bombing mission, a night radar reconnaissance and bombing mission. We flew singly and cruised northward at an altitude of 7,000 feet for about seven hours. The route took us past Iwo Jima Island where we were very careful to avoid flying over the U.S. Navy fleet which was starting the invasion of that Island.

When one hundred miles from our landfall point on the coast of Japan all crew members took their stations and donned our .45 caliber pistol in it's shoulder holster, parachutes with a survival kit containing a one-man dinghy, survival food and water, Mae West life preservers, and over this a protective "flak suit" topped off by a metal helmet. All this equipment was heavy and confined each man to his seat or station.

Now we turned off exterior running lights and any interior white lights to reduce the possibility of being seen by enemy night fighter aircraft, and commenced climbing to our bombing altitude of 25,000 feet. Leveling off at that high altitude just before reaching the coastline of Japan, our navigator immediately noted the presence of winds from the northwest at well over one hundred miles per hour. It was difficult to counter the extreme wind drift and get on the correct course to take our radar scope pictures on the desired approach to this target. In addition, the propeller governor on our number four engine was stuck at the climb setting of 2400 RPM so all we could do was adjust the throttle as we continued.

We crossed the coastline and turned eastward past Mount Fujiyama toward our target, the Nakajima Aircraft Factory at Musashino, just west of Tokyo. With that jet stream wind at our back, our ground speed was about four hundred miles per hour, a new experience and challenge to navigators and bombardiers! The radar scope camera recorded It's pictures as we raced toward the target in total darkness with no opposition from either anti-aircraft guns or enemy fighter aircraft. Few lights were seen in the towns below. Neil Allen hunched over the bombsight and the aircraft lurched upward as the 4,000 pounds of bombs fell away toward the target. We immediately turned southward toward the open ocean and were soon free to turn on the exterior navigation lights, take off the cumbersome flak suits and move around as we droned homeward on the seven hour return flight.

However, the number four propeller was still stuck at 2400 RPM, causing that engine to use fuel excessively. We landed at Saipan for repairs and fuel and continued on to Guam a few hours later.

[M#040; 03-09-45;Wings 73-313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 5-9,000 ft Altitude; Tokyo Urban area "Meetinghouse #2"

20th AF Airborne=325; Abort=12; Lost=14(1 to AA; 5 ditched; 7 unk; 1 to survey); Bomb load=9673 lb.; Fuel Reserve=1044 gal; EA Attacks=40

28th Airborne=(7): VChandler#2, ESeitz#2, CWells#2, JHancock#2, JSimmons#2, RAuer#2, ______

Lt Robert Auer lost at target, the first 28th Sqd loss, in 42-63569]

VChandler #2 [M-2, 10440 lb load, first large scale incendiary raid. Flak was moderate but we encountered no damage. Results were excellent.]

Two days later, all Aircraft Commanders were called to the main briefing room. General LeMay, new Commander of the 21st Bomber Command, burst in and told us that the high altitude strikes previously flown by the B-29s from Saipan and Tinian were not getting the job done. Therefore, we would strike at low altitudes with bigger bomb loads! With that cryptic announcement, he left amid moans and fear as we mentally pictured the hazards and losses which might face us. This launched the famous series of maximum effort, low level night incendiary raids on the major cities of Japan by the three wings with B-29s on Saipan, Tinian and Guam.

Briefing for the first raid was called for the afternoon of March 8, 1945. Brigadier General Thomas Power, Commander of our 314th Bombardment Wing with its four groups of about forty B-29s each, announced that the target was Tokyo at low level to strike the most densely populated part of the city. Our Group Commander, Colonel Jack Roberts and his staff gave us the many details. No extra fuel tanks would be carried and the bomb load was 10,440 pounds of magnesium, napalm and one fragmentation bomb. Aiming points were assigned to each bombardier. Expected opposition was three hundred heavy anti-aircraft guns and numerous squadrons of fighter aircraft around the Tokyo area. Squadron Lead Crews would be "Pathfinders" attacking first from altitudes of 4,900 feet to mark the target. Mission flimsy sheets gave individual aircraft times to start engines, taxi. take off, cruise and a summary of various enroute procedures. Radio silence would be observed except in dire emergencies or for a few designated lead aircraft to send strike reports after bombing the target.

Aircrews went to the mess hall for a meal and then packed up their flight equipment and boarded the army 6X6 trucks for the short ride to the flight line. Mechanics and armorers were busily completing the loading and preparation of each aircraft. Each air crew member made a thorough preflight check of his station and we were ready for takeoffs starting about 10:00 PM on a very dark night.

North Field (now Anderson AFB) had just two parallel runways, each 8,500 feet long. Taking off to the northeast, our runway descended for about a quarter of it's length and then sloped upward to the east end and over the clear zone beyond for about a half mile. At that point, palm trees and tropical foliage still grew; as the ground sloped downward to a cliff 600 feet high looking over the ocean below. One of the most hazardous parts of a mission was coaxing that heavy-laden B-29 off the runway at about the 7,500 foot point and then maintaining a slow, but positive climb until clear of the line of palm trees and out over the ocean. One of our squadron aircraft clipped a palm tree one dark night and was indeed fortunate in avoiding a crash. He jettisoned the full load of bombs, feathered the one bent propeller, and managed to make an emergency landing at Harmon Field, about five miles down the Island. A portion of the tree was still embedded in the wing!

B-29s of two other Groups were taking off simultaneously on the runway to our left each forty seconds. They were instructed to turn northward at a designated time about three minutes after starting the take off roll. Our navigator held a stop watch for one minute longer when we too turned northward on course. Each B-29 was assigned an initial cruising altitude from 1,500 to 3,000 feet, but using each two hundred foot mark. There was no assured clearance from our companions as every fifth aircraft was at an identical altitude. That fact kept each crew member alert to spot the lights of neighboring B-29's and tell his pilot of their presence as we bumped along in darkness through the usual tropical clouds.

When one hundred miles from the coastline of Japan, we again donned our emergency equipment, parachutes and flak suits in preparation for being shot at or possibly bailing out over the Japanese enemy homeland. Then we climbed to our pathfinder altitude of only 4,900 feet and turned off all exterior lights. Our radar-navigator, Frank Hermes, found our landfall point, on the peninsula southeast of Tokyo Bay and we flew over enemy land a few minutes while increasing our speed to 250 miles per hour. As we turned to our northwesterly heading for the bomb run, total darkness engulfed the waters of Tokyo Bay and no enemy fighters were seen. Anti-aircraft tracers rose toward us as we approached the blacked out city. A half dozen fires were started by B-29s ahead of us. Neil found his aiming point, opened our bomb bay doors and released our load of terror. I wanted do turn away from the city immediately, but as a Pathfinder, had to stay on the bomb run heading to let our big strike camera take pictures of the Impact of our 10,000 pound load of bombs.

At that point,. I banked the aircraft to the right and pulled up in a "chandelle" or steep climbing turn to escape as quickly as possible. Arriving at 15,000 feet, we determined that no damage had been suffered and when 100 miles south of Tokyo, let the tail gunner, Andy, come forward for the long cruise home. Our flight time for the round trip was 15:50 hours.

Later analysts revealed that this was the most destructive bomb raid in history. Three hundred B-29s had totally destroyed 16,8 square miles of Japan's most densely populated city with casualties of over 84,000 dead and a million people wounded or displaced.

[M#041; 03-11-45; Wings 73-313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 5-8,000 ft Altitude; Nagoya Urban area "Microscope #2"

20th AF Airborne=310; Abort=18; Lost=1(ditched after takeoff); Bomb load=9827 lb.; Fuel Reserve=920 gal.;

EA Attacks=47

28th Airborne=(6): JO'Neil#_,VChandlerd#3, ESeitz#3, CWells#3, JSimmons#3, VParker#1]

VChandler #3 [M-2, Pathfinders, 10440 lb load. Bomb run was up "Flak Alley"]

Just two nights later, on March 11th, we flew an identical mission against the city of Nagoya. the striking difference was that Nagoya Bay was narrower and our bomb run was northward directly up the middle. We were the fourth B-29 and enemy search lights from both sides of the bay "coned" our silver aircraft for some three and a half minutes. With his view from the tail turret, Andy called "Flak exploding behind us at our level!". the aircraft would go no faster and we held steady on the bomb run. Andy called "Flak getting closer!". the minutes were long, but we finally crossed the harbor line and Neil dropped the bombs on target. Again we waited in agony to snap the strike picture and then chandelled away at full power to escape and head for home with a miraculous "no damages” report. Our 330 bombers destroyed only 2.05 square miles of the urban area.

[M#042; 03-13-45; Wings 73-313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 5-9,000 ft Altitude; Osaka Urban area "Peachblow #1"

20th AF Airborne=298; Abort=17; Lost=2(1 unk; 1 to survey); Bomb load=13739 lb.; Fuel Reserve=1049 gal;

EA Attacks=40

28th Airborne=(9): JO'Neill#_,VChandler#4,FMaupin#1,CWells#4,VParker#2, HGammel#_, JSimmons#4, EHammond#_, JCarroll#_]

VChandler #4 [M-2, 10162 lb load]

Two nights later on March 13th, our target was Osaka using the same tactics and bomb load. The weather was bad over the Japanese coast and at 5,000 feet we were flying in heavy clouds. Our navigation radar quit operating, so we were resigned to heading for the target by dead reckoning only. Numerous explosions of heavy flak burst close behind us again as ample evidence that we were over the target as the bombs dropped and we escaped unharmed. Results were 8.1 square miles of the city burned out by 298 bombers.

[M#043; 03-16-45; Wings 73-313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 4-9,000 ft Altitude; Kobe Urban area "Middleman #2"

20th AF Airborne=330; Abort=16; Lost=3 (3 to unk); Bomb load=14931 lb; Fuel Reserve=889 gal;

EA Attacks=96

28th Airborne=(8): VChandler#5, ESeitz#4, CWells#5, JHancock#3, JSimmons#5, VParker#3, ?__,?__]

VChandler #5 [M-2, Pathfinder, 10400 lb night incendiary. Flak was moderate with both heavy and automatic weapons. Night fighters were out but we had no attacks and suffered no damage.]

Three nights later on March 16th, the target was Kobe, just southwest of Osaka. Again, we were pathfinders at 5,000 feet, but our squadron followed several others over the target. As we flew inward over the bay, the cloud layer above us was lighted by the exploding bombs and huge fires already started. We could see many others of our 330 B-29s and several enemy fighter aircraft. One B-29 came flying outbound on a heading opposite to ours and just a few hundred feet above us. His exterior navigation lights were burning and an enemy fighter was right on his tail, but neither of them were firing their guns and we lost sight of them without knowing the result.

Over the city, the glow from the huge fires lighted up our cockpit as Neil found his aiming point in a non-burning portion of the dense city and dropped our additional load of devastating fire bombs. Again we chandelled to escape the anti-aircraft tracers and gain a higher altitude to fly south to the coastline and relative safety of the ocean for the long cruise home. Post-strike pictures showed that 3.0 square miles of the city was totally destroyed.

For the successful completion of the series of four low level incendiary bombing missions over Japan's largest, most heavily defended cities, the Aircraft Commander, Navigator and Bombardier of each "Lead Crew" were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and other crew members the Air Medal.

[M#046; 03-27-45; Wings 73-314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 14-18,000 ft Altitude; Kyushu; Tachiari & Oita AF and Omura Aircraft Factory; "Fearless #1"

20th AF Airborne=161; Abort=6; Lost=0; Bomb load=6907 lb; Fuel Reserve=788 gal; EA Attacks=18

28th Airborne=(7) CWells#7, VChandler#6, ESeitz#6, CWells#7, JSimmons#7, FMaupin#3, VParker#5, __]

VChandler #6 [M-2] 5000 lb load, bombed secondary target visually after primary, Kyushu AF closed in. We led #2 element. Capt Simmons led Squadron.

[M#055; 04-03-45; Wing 314; Night; General Purpose bombs; 7-9,000 ft Altitude; Shizuoka; Shizuoka Aircraft Factory; "Upcast #1"

20th AF Airborne=49; Abort=1; Lost=0; Bomb load=9300 lb.; Fuel Reserve=1126 gal.; EA Attacks=0

28th Airborne=(10) VChandler#7, ESeitz#8, JSimmons#8, VParker#7, ___, ___, ___, ___, ____, ___, ____]

VChandler#7 [M-2] 2880 lb load. Flare bombing mission at low altitude. We caried flares for three other ships carrying General Purpose bombs. Opposition was meager.

[M#059; 04-07-45; Wings 313-314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 16-25,000 ft Altitude; Nagoya; Mitsubishi Engine Plant "Eradicate #7"

20th AF Airborne=194; Abort=10; Lost=2 (1 to AA; 1 to EA) Bomb load=8993 lb.; Fuel Reserve=754 gal;

EA Attacks=233 (dest=21, prob=11, dam=22)

28th Airborne=(10) VChandler#8, ESeitz#9, CWells#9, JHancock#6, FMaupin#5, VParker#7, ___, ___, ___, ___

VChandler#8 [M-2, Deputy lead] 8500 lb load. Flew deputy lead on high altitude mission. Flak was moderate. Bombing results excellent. Few Squadrons formed intact due to weather.

[M#065; 04-12-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 7-9,000 ft Altitude; Koriyama; Koriyama Chemical Plant "Lunchroom #1"

20th AF Airborne=85; Abort=7; Lost=2 (1 ditched on return; 1 crashed at Agana, Guam); Bomb load=5342 lb.; Fuel Reserve=927 gal; EA Attacks=2 (dest=0, prob=0; dam=0)

28th Airborne=(11) JSimmons#9, VChandler#9, ESeitz#10, JHancock#6, HGammel#__, RSpencer#_, JCarroll#__, FMaupin#7, BKordus#__, TReadheimer#_, GO'Leary#__

VChandler#9 [M-2, Deputy lead] 6420 lb load, Day. Flew deputy lead to Capt Joe Simmons on a long flight 425 mi N of Tokyo -- 3500 S.M. There was no opposition and target was destroyed. An Australian war correspondent flew with us.

[M#068; 04-15-45; Wings 313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 6-10,000 ft Altitude; Kawasaki Urban area "Brisket #1"

20th AF Airborne=219; Abort=8; Lost=12 (4 probably to EA or AA; 8 unk cause); Bomb load=9659 lb; Fuel Reserve=1060 gal; EA Attacks=53 (dest=?, prob=?, dam=?)

28th Airborne=(13) JO'Neill#__, VChandler#10, ESeitz#12, CWells#11, TReadheimer#_, JSimmons#10, EHammond#__, JCarroll#__, FMaupin#8, VParker#9, GO'Leary#__, JRobinson#_, MFloyd#__]

VChandler#10 [M-2, 10180lb load]

Our Crew #12 had some very exciting experiences on subsequent missions over Japan. On April 15th, two night fighters attacked us over Kawasaki scoring numerous direct hits which injured our Radar-Navigator, Lt. Hermes, set the radar compartment on fire and damaged the rear bomb bay doors so that we could not close them. Our valiant gunners put out the fire and gave first aid to Lt. Hermes leg injury. We made it back to Guam where Frank was hospitalized, awarded the Purple Heart and then sent home. He was replaced by Lt. Dick Ackerman. Lt. Stevens was given his own crew command and replaced by Lt. Wayne C. Christensen.

Fig 4 Dan Sidelco (CC) & Andy Kerzner (TG)

Fig 5 2^nd Lt Frank Hermes Radar-Nav. being carried off B-29 M-2 after Kawasaki mission on April 15, 1945

[M#090; 04-21-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 15-16,000 ft Altitude; Kyushu; Nittagahara AF "Bushing #3"

20th AF Airborne=23; Abort=1; Lost=0; Bomb load=8845 lb.; Fuel Reserve=949 gal;

EA Attacks=2 (dest=0, prob=0, dam=0)

28th Airborne=(?) VChandler#11, ESeitz#13, JHancock#8, HGammel#_, RSpencer#_, GO'Leary#_, TReadheimer#_, FMaupin#9, VParker#11, BKordus#_, JRobinson#_, MFloyd#_

VChandler#11 [M-1, Sqd leader] 10165 lb load, Day. Led the squadron on mission to neutralize airfields in support of Okinawa invasion. Opposition was meager -- no damage.

[M#112; 04-27-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs: 16-17,000 ft Altitude; Kanoya AF "Checkbook #7"

20th AF Airborne=21; Abort=1; Lost=0; Bomb load=10700 lb; Fuel Reserve=727 gal;

EA Attacks=51 (dest=0, prob=0, dam=2)

28th Airborne=(11) TReadheimer#_, RSpencer(Alt), JHancock#10, HGammel#_, VChandler#12, GO'Leary#_, FMaupin#11, JDillard#_, ______]

VChandler#12 [M-2, Sqd leader] 10700 lb load. Led the squadron on another mission to airfields."

[M#137; 05-03-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 17,000 ft Altitude; Kanoya East AF "Famish #7"

20th AF Airborne=11; Abort=0; Lost=1 (1 to AA); Bomb load=10700 lb.; Fuel Reserve=955 gal;

EA Attacks=6 (dest=0, prob=1, dam=0)

28th Airborne=(11) JHancock#11, RSpencer#_, VChandler#13, ____________________________

Lt Robert Spencer lost in M7 to flak, ditched.]

VChandler#13 [M- ] On May 3rd, we led the squadron on a relatively easy daylight formation mission to bomb Kanoya Airfield on the island of Kyushu from 16,000 feet. However, a heavy anti-aircraft bullet struck Lt. Spencer's aircraft, causing it to lose fuel rapidly and shut down two engines. We followed him out over the ocean as he gradually descended and finally crash-landed in the water about 80 miles out. The entire nose and tail sections broke off with the severe impact in rough seas. We observed several crew members in the water with their life preservers and tried to drop an inflatable life raft to them, but they could not reach it in the strong winds. We could only report the location and ask for help from the Navy rescue forces. Five of the crew were rescued by a submarine the next day and returned to Guam with the haggard look of men nearly dead. For them the war was over.

[M#165; 05-10-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 15-20,000 ft Altitude; Otake Oil Refinery & Kure Urban area

20th AF Airborne=132; Abort=0; Lost=0; Bomb load=10862 lb.; Fuel Reserve=683 gal.: Iwo landings=12;

EA Attacks=54 (dest=3, prob=2, dam=8)

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#14, FMaupin#14, BKordus#_, __________________]

VChandler#14 [M-2, Sqd leader] [11000 lb load. Received DFC for 100% of bombs in target area. On a clear, sunlit day, the withdrawal south over the bay was filled with flak bursts from shore installations & the Japanese fleet. No dammage was suffered by Sqd due to Sqd leaders excellent evasive action.]

While leading the squadron over the Otake Oil Refinery on May 10th, we achieved superior results with 80 per cent of the squadron's bombs striking the target area, but on withdrawal over the Inland Sea encountered heavy flak from both shore batteries and a large contingent of the Japanese navy which was steaming into their home port. We made frequent evasive turns and luckily escaped damage to our squadron, but 19 other B-29s suffered many hits. I remember vividly the sight of hundreds of orange and black explosions all around us as acute fear gripped our stomachs and I searched in vain for a clear path through the fearsome fusillade.

[M#174; 05-14-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Day; Incendiary bombs; 16-20,000 ft Altitude; N. Nagoya Urban area "Microscope #4"

20th AF Airborne=524; Abort=0; Lost=11(1 to EA; 1 to AA; 4 to accid; 4 to other, 1 unk); Bomb load=11479 lb.; Fuel Reserve=642 gal; Iwo landings=14; EA Sighted=80; EA Attacks=275 (dest=23, prob=16, dam=31)

28th Airborne=(13) VChandler#15, CWells#17, FMaupin#15, JDillard#_, KClewett#_, ___, ____, ____, ___, ___, ___,___,____

{Lt Kenneth Clewett lost in M20 over target}

VChandler#15 [M-2, Sqd leader] [First, incendiary daylight raid. Flak was moderate. Lt Clewett was shot down from #8 position before bombs away. Results were extraordinary.]

On May 14th, we led our squadron on a daylight incendiary raid over Nagoya with 524 B-29s bombing from altitudes of 16,000 to 20,000 feet. The mission obliterated nine square miles of the city, but ten bombers were destroyed and 56 damaged by the enemy. One of our squadron, piloted by Lt. Clewett, was shot down just before bombs away, and there was no way we could help him as his B-29 plummeted to total destruction. We saw no parachutes.

[M#176; 05-16-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 7-18,000 ft Altitude; S. Nagoya Urban area Microscope #5"

20th AF Airborne=516; Abort=45; Lost=3(3 unk); (14 dam by AA); Bomb load=14966 lb.; Fuel Reserve=802 gal.; Iwo landings=16; EA Sighted=28; EA Attacks=11 (dest=0, prob=0, dam=0)

28th Airborne=(12) VChandler#16, FMaupin#16, CWells#17, _________________

First time more EA sighted than attack; 19th BG aircraft painted Black on bottoms

VChandler#16 [M-2] 14880 lb load, night incendiary. Bombed individually from medium altitude over 8/10 undercast. No damage, very little opposition. Squadron ships were painted black.

[M#183; 05-25-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Night; Incendirary bombs; 8-22,000 ft Altitude; Tokyo Urban area (Kawasaki)

20th AF Airborne=498; Abort=2; Lost=26 (3 to AA; 1 to EA; 2 abandon on return near Iwo; 20 unk); Bomb load=13517 lb.; Fuel Reserve=794 gal.; Iwo landings =0; Damaged (89 by AA, 10 by EA)

EA Attacks=99 (dest=19, prob=0, dam=4)

First 20th AF data on damage to B-29's and the cause

28th Airborne=(14) VChandler#17, FMaupin#17, CWells#18, VParker#12, JAmbrose#1, ____]

VChandler#17 [M-_] 17000 lb load. Bombed from 10000'. Opposition by searchlights & flak was intense but we were not sighted & suffered no damage.

[M#187; 06-01-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Day; Incendiary bombs; 13-28,000 ft Altitude; Osaka Urban area

20th AF Airborne=509; Abort=25; Lost=10 (5 to AA; 2 collided at assembly; 2 mech prob; 1 unk); Bomb load=12364 lb.; Fuel Reserve=655 gal.; Iwo landings=81; Damaged=4 (by EA-AA)

EA Sighted=85; EA Attacks=221 (dest=16, prob=9, dam=24)

(148) P51 escort formed but most turned back, 27 P51s and 26 pilots lost due to severe weather.

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#18, FMaupin#19, WRiggs#_, JStevens#3, __________________________

VChandler#18 [M-_, Sqd leader] [10200 lb load. Led the squadron but turned it over to the deputy, Capt Riggs, because of ice on nose.]

On June 1st over Osaka at 18,000 feet in daylight, our tail gunner, Andy Kerzner, was surprised by a very loud noise just behind his back. A large anti-aircraft bullet had gone straight up through his compartment, creasing the back of his seat to miss his body by only four inches! Several of our nose glass windows were cracked by exploding flak, but Bombardier Neil Allen only received a scratch on his face! How lucky could we get?

[M#189; 06-07-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Day; Incendiary bombs; 18-23,000 ft Altitude; Osaka Urban

20th AF Airborne=449; Abort=29; Lost=2 (2 to mech failure); Bomb load=13182 lb.; Fuel Reserve=544 gal.;

Iwo landings=59; Damaged=7 by AA; EA Sighted=10; EA Attacks=30 (dest=0, prob=0, dam=3)

(144) P51 escort; 1 caught fire near Iwo

28th Airborne=(9) TReadheimer#_, CWells#21, VChandler#19, HGammel#_, EHammond#_, JCarroll#_, FMaupin#21, PCrow#_, WRigg#_

VChandler#19 [M-_, Squadron leader] 12880 lb load. Bombed through 10/10 undercast. We were escorted by P-51 fighters, no opposition was encountered.

[M#203; 06-15-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Day; Incendiary bombs; 16-27,000 ft Altitude; Osaka-Amagasaki Urban area

20th AF Airborne=511; Abort=40; Lost=2(1 crashed off end of runway; 1 crashed 4 mi N of Guam); Bomb load=13577; Fuel Reserve=708; Iwo landings=43; EA Sighted=0; EA Attacks=0

(100) P51 turned back due to poor weather

28th Airborne=(10) VChandler#20, FMaupin#23, TReadheimer#_, JStevens#6, EHammond#_, HGammel#_, JCarroll#_, PCrow, RLong, ____

VChandler#20 [M-_ ] 14880 lb load. Could not assemble squadron due to bad weather. Bombed with two ships above 10/10 undercast. No opposition.

[M#216; 06-22-45; Wing 314; Day; General Purpose bombs; 15-18,000 ft Altitude; Tamashima; Mitsubishi AC Plant

20th AF Airborne=123; Abort=3; Lost=2 (1 to EA; 1 unk); Bomb load=12192 lb.; Fuel Reserve=778 gal.;

Iwo landings=3; EA Sighted=49; EA Attacks=41 (dest=1, prob=0, dam=0)

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#21, CWells#22, FMaupin#26, RLong, HGammel, PCrow,JRobinson, WRowe, JStevens#9, ___, ___]

VChandler#21 [M-7, Squadron leader] 11770 lb load. Turned lead over to Maj Wells because of radar failure. Flak was meager with no damage. Results were excellent.

[M#237; 06-28-45; Wing 314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 7-12,000 ft Altitude; Nobeoka Urban area

20th AF Airborne=122; Abort=5; Lost=0; Bomb load=14984 lb.; Fuel Reserve=787 gal; Iwo landings=6;

EA Sighted=6; EA Attacks=1; (0-0-0)

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#22, CWells#22, FMaupin#28, TReadhimer, JStevens#11, PCrow, RLong, HGammel, JRobinson, EHammond#_, __]

VChandler#22 [M-7] 17000 lb load. Small town on Kyushu. Meager opposition and good results. #4 engine blew a cylinder on return causing engine fire. We extinguished it and returned on three engines for 1200mi. [note extra heavy load and low fuel reserve]

[M#243; 07-01-45; Wing 314; Night: Incendiary bombs; 8-19,000 ft Altitude; Shimonoseki Urban area

20th AF Airborne=141; Abort=8; Lost=1 (1 to mech, 2 eng failed enroute); Bomb load=13809 lb.; Fuel Reserve=656 gal.; Iwo landings=22; EA Sighted=0; EA Attacks=0

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#23, FMaupin#29,TReadhimer, JStevens#12, JAmbrose#_, PCrow, HGammel, JRobinson, VParker#23, ___, ___

VChandler#23 [M-7, Pathfinder, 12880 lb load] For my birthday, July 2nd, we were "Pathfinders" at 8,000 feet for a night incendiary mission over Shimonoseki on the straits between Kyushu and the main Island of Honshu. A team of Air Force radio reporters flew with us to record a broadcast to be released over the NBC Blue Network. The bomb run was from just off-shore into a strong wind for more than a half hour. Our announcer, Staff Sergeant Hal Brown, had already recorded his lead-in remarks and sat beside me ready to describe the scene over the target. As we slowly crept closer, we could see a vertical wall of anti-aircraft tracers erupt across our path as each preceding aircraft went over the target. After fifteen or twenty of those spectacular but deadly fireworks displays, I felt numb with fear, but maintained the straight heading with the auto pilot to let Neil do his best work as Bombardier. Hal wanted to start talking when the bomb bay doors opened, but was so petrified that he didn't even feel my sharp poke to his ribs. Simultaneously, we were suddenly surrounded by our personal barrage of frightening tracers as we flew over the target. The bombs dropped and we flew over the straits into the blessed, calm darkness of the night beyond. Hal recovered and recorded a splendid description of the fiery event, but his voice had changed a few octaves from fear during those moments. It was indeed broadcast a few days later and the local radio station in Bakersfield, California presented a copy to my wife Katie.

[M#250; 07-04-45; Wing 314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 10-17,000 ft Altitude; Tokushima Urban area

20th AF Airborne=137; Abort=6; Lost=0; Bomb load=15675 lb; Fuel Reserve=762 gal; Iwo landings=3;

EA Sighted=10; EA Attacks=0

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#24, CWells#24, FMaupin#30, TReadhimer, JStevens#13, JAmbrose, HGammel, VParker#24, JRobinson#_, EHammond, ___]

VChandler#24 [M-_ ] 18600 lb load. Bombed from 10000' flying through a very turbulent smoke column over the city. Opposition was meager but some ships suffered damage in the smoke cloud.

[M#274; 07-17-45; Wing 314; Night; Indendiary bombs; 11-15,000 ft Altitude; Hiratsuka Urban

20th AF Airborne=132; Abort=2; Lost=0; Bomb load=16923 lb; Fuel Reserve=765 gal; Iwo landings=11,

EA Sighted=0; EA Attacks=0

28th Airborne=(11) VChandler#25, FMaupin#34, TReadhimer, JDillard, JStevens#16, JAmbrose, Dorr,PCrow, RLong, Bort, JRandolph, JHewitt]

VChandler#25 [M-_ ] 18600 lb load. Bombed through undercast from 12200ft with no opposition. Encountered severe electrical storm off Japanese coast.

[M#295; 07-27-45; Wing 314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 13-16,000 ft Altitiude; Omuta Urban area

20th AF Airborne=130; Abort=4; Lost=1 (1 EA); Bomb load=15165 lb.; Fuel Reserve=526 gal.; Iwo landings=16,

EA Sighted=25; EA Attacks=9 (0-0-0)

28th Airborne=(11) JStevens#19, VChandler#26, VParker#28, JHewitt#_, _______

Lt Hewitt lost in M19 over target]

VChandler#26 [M-_ ] 15740 lb load. 8/10 undercast, meager flak and no fighters. We saw ship explode after an engine fire at lands end." [probably Hewitt]

[M#309; 08-01-45; Wing 314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 12-15,000 ft Altitude; Mito Urban area

20th AF Airborne=167; Abort=6; Lost=0; Bomb load=15071 lb.; Fuel Reserve=724 gal.; Iwo landings=6;

EA Sighted=22; EA Attacks=1 (0-0-0)

28th Airborne=(15) VChandler#27, CWells#28, TReadhimer, JDillard, JAmbrose#_, PCrow, RLong, HGammel, MacElroy, JRobinson, JRandolph, VParker, JStevens#21, ___, ___,__]

VChandler#27 [M-_ ] 14940 lb load. Routine mission with 8/10 undercast over target and beautiful weather enroute.

By August 1945, our bombers had destroyed all target areas of the major Japanese cities. Our force had increased steadily and on August 2nd each of the now five Bombardment Wings was assigned a separate city for night incendiary missions. Over 800 B-29s wiped out five separate cities with populations ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 people! Each B-29 now carried bomb loads up to 18,000 pounds. Our target that night was Mito and we had an uneventful mission at medium altitude of 12,000 feet with no opposition.

[M#330; 08-15-45; Wings 73-314; Night; Incendiary bombs; 15-18,000 ft Altitude; Isesaki Urban area

Airborne=93; Abort=7; Lost=0; Bomb load=14924 lb.; Fuel Reserve=648 gal.; Iwo landings=6;

EA Sighted=4; EA Attacks=0

28th Airborne=(15) VChandler#28, ___________]

VChandler#28 [M-_ ] Our 28th combat mission was on August 15th to drop incendiary bombs on the city of Isesaki from 15,000 feet at night. Lower clouds covered nine tenths of the target area so we bombed entirely by radar. Some flak was encountered over Koga on the bomb run, but we escaped without damage. On the way home, we listened to the Armed Forces Radio Station as usual for music and news. About two hours from Guam, the welcome news came that Japan had capitulated and the war was over!

Show of Force;08-30-45 Above Battleship Missouri for official surrender

VChandler#29 [M-_ ] Our final mission was to fly a "Show of Force" over the Tokyo area on August 30th as the Battleship Missouri steamed up Tokyo Bay to anchor as the site for General MacArthur to receive the official surrender. We circled the area in squadron formation for about three and a half hours on a bright, sunlit day with just a few white, fleecy clouds below. The cities looked desolate and bare with large areas completely empty of the former buildings, but the land beyond was green and beautiful as the military occupation of Japan began. There was indeed hope to rebuild the shattered country.

B-29 44-69680 M-2 Princess Pat which became City of Bakersfield

Top row: 1st Lt James Stevens(P), Capt Vernon Chandler(AC), 2nd Lt Frank Hermes(RO), 1st Lt George Lane(N), 1st Lt Neil Allen(B), Cpl Van Natta(?), M/Sgt Dan Sidelko(CC), Cpl W. G. Albrecht(AM), S/Sgt T. J. Grizzoffi(AM)

Bottom row: Cpl Andrew Kerzner(TG), M/Sgt Harold Galbreath(FE), Sgt Roy Kurre(RG), Sgt Robert Tannehill(R), Sgt Douglas Snook(CFC), Cpl Rutger Kindberg(LG), Cpl H.L. Cutter(AM), Pvt Mslanoski(AM), Pfc McKinnes(AM)

Current Address 1992

	Name	Home, 1992
	Chandler, Vernon L.	5100 John D Ryan Blvd #528 San Antonio TX 78245
	Christensen, Wayne C	4005 S Hickory Ave, Broken Arrow OK, 74011
	Stevens, James F.	deceased
	Lane, George H Jr	P.O. Box 1057, St George, UT, 84771
	Allen, Neil C.	2709 Kent Dr Oklahoma City OK 73120
	Ackerman, Richard R	PO Box 1913, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
	Hermes, Frank J Jr	2621 W Kemper Rd, Cincinatti OH, 45231
	Galbreath, Harold L	deceased
	Tannehill, Robert W	unknown
	Snook, Douglas F	deceased
	Kurre, Roy H	916 Cederwood Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
	Kindberg, Rutger H	deceased
	Kerzner, Andrew J	11 Orange Dr E Williston NY 11596

Standing: Lt Ackerman, Lt Allen, Maj Chandler, Lt Lane, Lt Christensen

Kneeling: Sgt Kersner, Sgt Kinberg, Sgt Driscall

Princes Pat IV, A war weary B-29 flown back to the states by Maj Chandlers crew with the 73^rd Wing under Project Sunset. Left Saipan Oct 11, 1945, arrived Mather Field CA Oct 14, 1945. Photo taken in Hawaii. Check that white sidewall front tire!!!