W45AUTH\HW28N-JA.DOC

Jack Ambrose Crew #__ at M-4  42-93923 "City of Detroit" Herb Newton Crew Chief, Renamed "City of Ada"

Completed 30 missions and was credited with 4.5 enemy aircraft shot down.

Loc

Duty

Rank

08-45

Rank

Name

ASN

MOS

Home, 1945 / 1992

S1

AC

Capt

Capt

Jack S. Ambrose

0-433773

1093

Ada Okla / deceased

S2

P

1st Lt

2nd Lt

James M. Beelman

0-827779

1091

Lansing Mich / unknown

S4

N

1st Lt

2nd Lt

Walter C. Hulen

0-2069024

1034

Springfield Mo/1910 E. 35th St, Joplin, MO,  64801

S3

B

1st Lt

2nd Lt

Elmer D. Jackson

0-2072146

1035

Basin WY / unknown

S4

RO

1st Lt

2nd Lt

Joseph J. Benjamin

0-2073019

1038

Kinston NY / unknown

K3

FE

 

Sgt(1)

Oliver B. Barber

18039740

737

 

 

FE

M/Sgt

M/Sgt

Keith A. Major

 

 

           /  unknown

K5

R

S/Sgt

Sgt

Julius A.Barbera

33440406

2756

Pittsburg PA / unknown

K2

CFC

T/Sgt

Sgt

Gerald W. Willoughby

38593112

580

Enid OK / unknown

K6

RG

Sgt

Sgt

Everett R. Williams

39127547

1684

            / unknown

K4

LG

S/Sgt

Sgt

Robert J Deemer

13152422

1685

            / unknown

K1

TG

S/Sgt

Sgt

Jay B. Sauers

38361972

748

San Antonio TX / unknown

(1) Part of original crew during training, replaced by K. Major

            On May 14, after 6 missions with the 93rd Sqd, this crew was transferred to 28th Sqd.

            The following is as written by Walter C. Hulen the crews Navigator.

            Our crew was basically formed at Smoky Hill AF Base in Salina KS, in late 1944. We were assigned to train as a Photo-Recon crew. Early they determined that there were too many such crews & we were moved on to Clovis AF Base NM to train for VHB (Very Heavy Bombers).

            The crew arrived in Clovis before Christmas 1944. Our AC was replaced at Clovis with 1st Lt Bill Clevenger. Bill hailed from Newport TN. The rest of the crew was still intact.

            Late in our training our AC was once again replaced with Capt Jack Ambrose. Jack was a flying instructor at Clovis with many flying hours as a B-29 instructor. Jack fit very well and we were very fortunate to have him aboard.

            After completion of our Crew Training we picked up a new B-29 at Herington KS in late March 1945. We departed Mather Field Ca on Easter Sunday [April 10?] arriving at North Field on Guam a few days later.

            Our initial assignment was with the 93rd Sqd. We helped complete a new Quonset at the end of a row and moved in.

            On May 14 we were assigned to the 28th Sqd. The officers moved into a Quonset with Van Parker's and Gerald O'Leary's crews.

            When we arrived at the 19th Bomb Group our new B-29 was turned over to a crew with some missions under their belt. We were assigned M-4 [previously flown by CWells] an older B-29 with a black stripe at the front of the vertical stabilizer. This aircraft was the "City of Detroit" which we later voted to call "City of Ada" which was our AC's hometown. We left it on Guam when we were transferred to Saipan to come home. I later saw it parked at the depot in Ogden UT in the summer of 1946 when I was on a 15 day reserve duty.

 

M#183; 05-25-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Night; Incendiary 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 =0; Damaged (89 by AA, 10 by EA)

            First data on Damaged to B-29's and the cause

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

28th Airborne=(14)  VChandler#17, FMaupin#17, CWells#18, JAmbrose#6+1

JAmbrose#1  [M-4]  [by WHulen]   During our tour we had to abort several times. The first time was on our first mission, within sight of landfall. We spent two days on Iwo Jima while the island was still being secured.

            On our first mission, when we spent two nights on Iwo, an interesting incident occurred. The Army that took over from the Marines Red 1, set out daily patrols over the island. A few of our crew members joined such a patrol. A single file followed each other through crevasses and rough terrain. Our pilot, Jim Beelman happened to lag behind the patrol. Suddenly a Japanese soldier  arose beside the trail holding a grenade, preparing to throw it. Jim emptied his 45 knocking the soldier down. Then another Japanese grabbed the grenade, fell on it, and was killed when it exploded. There were many Japanese hiding in caves at this time. The US Army set trip flares along pathways and all night long you could see flares being set off and floating down by parachute.

            We had to keep electrical power ready to go to operate the top turrets in the event of a Japanese air attack. The Army camps kept large GI cans over fires. These cans were partially water filled & C-Rations were kept hot. To eat you fished out a can, you never knew what, opened it & had your meal. This was quite an experience for some, untrained, airmen. We were glad when aircraft was sent to bring us back to Guam."

 

M#186; 05-29-45; Wings 58-73-313-314; Day; Incendiary bombs; 17-21,000 ft altitude; Yokohama area

20th AF Airborne=510; Abort=26; Lost=7(3 to AA; 1 rammed; 2 ditched; 1 unk); Bomb load=12040 lb.; Fuel Reserve=811 gal; Iwo=39; Damaged=?; EA Sighted=55; EA Attacks=110  (dest=6, prob=5, dam=10)

(101) P51 escort, 2 P51's lost over target   First data on P51 escort

28th Airborne=(13)  CWells#19, FMaupin#18, JStevens#2, VParker#18, GO'Leary#_, JAmbrose#6+2, ____________________

GO'Leary#??                Capt Gerald O'Leary lost in M16 hit by AA over target

JAmbrose#2   [M-4]  [by WHulen]   [Uncertain match on mission vs story]  "From a Navigators point of view the most interesting mission was to be a daylight raid, the assembly area was designated as the NE quadrant surrounding Smiths Rock. This was just what it was, a large rock in the middle of a lot of water.

            We took off from Guam at night & there was weather, all bad, to be encountered all the way to the north of Iwo Jima. It seemed that there was a solid overcast all the way. When attempting to use Loran for a Line of Position, the Trailing Antenna was burned off by electrical charges and went down sparkling. Hence, I couldn't pick up the beacon from Iwo. I sat in the tunnel looking through the Celestial Dome for 2 - 3 hours looking for a break in the clouds and Navigational Stars. Finally the sky opened up briefly and I shot a star ahead and one off the right wing. Guessing as to the names of the stars I plotted a 2 Star Fix, then Dead Reckoning ahead. We altered course and came in to the assembly point. Van Parker's crew was the only other aircraft there. We dropped into deputy lead and other aircraft from Tinian and Saipan joined us from the assembly areas in the other quadrants. We had crews from all over, quite a motly bunch.

            This flight went on to the target. Just to see the tails with T, X, M, P, etc was something different."

 

M#212; 06-19-45; Wing 314; Night: Incendiary bombs; 8-12,000 ft altitude;   Shizuoka Urban area

20th AF Airborne=137; Abort=9; Lost=2 (2 unk); Bomb load=15078 lb.; Fuel Reserve=954 gal.; Iwo=2; Damaged=?

EA Sighted=18; EA Attacks=4  (0-0-0)

28th Airborne=(12)  FMaupin#25, BKordus#_, RLong#_, HGammel#_, JCarroll#_, JRobinson#_, EHammond#_, JStevens#8, JAmbrose#6+3, VParker#21, ___, ____, ____

JAmbrose#6+3??        [by WHulen]  [Mission vs story uncertain]  "One other time the mission was a fire raid over Tokyo. We were taking off for Tokyo about dark & when rolling down the runway under full power we began blowing out oil from #3 engine. This was a newly replaced engine that we had slow-timed earlier in the day. Another ground crew had relieved ours, ours had been up all night replacing the engine & forgot to replace the sump plug.

            Jack [Ambrose] waited to feather until we were over the edge (of the cliff) and over water. We immediately dropped our fire bombs, which lighted up the water. We circled until everyone was gone. We came back in and we received new oil for #3, another bomb load and took off again. We came over Tokyo after day light and bombed the target. It was a lonesome time, over Tokyo all by ourselves in broad daylight. Upon return many crews expressed their concern that the ship had gone in with the jettisoned bomb load."

            The best mission in which our crew participated was after the Japanese surrendered. It was Aug 30 1945 that we took off for a P W Supply mission. We were given an approximate location, for our assigned camp, south and west of Tokyo.

            Jack, our AC, put our aircraft right on the ground, hedge-hopping over power lines, until we located the PW camps. After buzzing the area, it looked like all the prisoners were out waving, we dropped both Bombay platforms loaded with food, clothing, etc.

            The chutes barely opened as a large portion of a wooden fence was flattened by the supplies. Prisoners had cases of food on their shoulders and were waving white T-shirts. The crew really felt good as we headed back home after completing this mission.

 

314 Wing, 19th BG & 28th Sqd Missions 1945

 

 

 

 

 

Sq

Sq

Sq

BG

Wng

Newton M-4

 

Date

FO-20#

Target

Code name

Type

28

30

93

19

314

42-93923

 

 

??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02-25

xxx-38

Tokyo

229 AC raid

Day

11

 

 

 

?

 

 

02-27

 

Tokyo

 

 

3

8

0

11

 

 

 

03-04

006-39

Nakajima

Enkindle#5

Nite

2

 

 

 

?

Wells(1

 

03-06

008

Kobe

RSPM#3

Phot

1

2

6

9

?

 

 

03-09

012-40

Tokyo

Meetinghoue#1

Nite-Incd

7

 

 

22

?

Wells(2

Auer>M-11

 

03-11

013-41

Nagoya

Microscope#2

Nite-Incd

6

 

 

19

?

Wells(3

 

03-13

015-42

Osaka

Peachblow#1

Nite-Incd

9

 

 

21

?

Wells(4

 

03-16

016-43

Kobe

Middleman#2

Nite-Incd

8

 

 

26

?

Wells(5

 

03-17

017

Nagasaki

Photo

 

 

 

2

2

 

 

 

03-18

018-44

Nagoya

Microscope#3

Nite-Incd

8

 

 

25

?

 

 

03-24

019-45

Mitsubishi

Eradicate#5

Nite-GP

7

 

 

22

?

 

 

03-27

021-46

Omura

Fearless#1

Day-GP

7

 

 

22

?

Wells(7

 

03-30

022-48

Mitsubishi

Eradicate#6

Nite-GP

4

 

 

13

14

Wells(8

 

03-31

023-50

Omura

Fearless#2

Day-GP

3

 

 

10

?

 

 

04-03

026-55

Shizuoka

Upcast#1

Nite-GP

10

6

9

24

49

 

 

04-07

028-59

Mitsubishi

Eradicate#7

Day-GP

10

 

 

21

?

Wells(9

 

04-12

030-65

Koriyama

Lunchroom#1

Day-GP

11

 

 

22

85

 

 

04-13

027-67

Tokyo

Perdition#1

Nite-Incd

14

11

10

34

?

Wells(10

 

04-15

031-68

Kawasaki

Brisket#1

Nite-Incd

13

11

9

29

?

Wells(11

Ambrose(1

04-17

032-74

Nittagahara

Bushing#1

Day-GP

 

7

 

7

10

 

Ambrose(2

04-17

xxx-75

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#2

 

 

 

 

 

34

 

x

04-18

xxx-78

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#3

 

 

 

 

 

33

 

x

04-18

033-81

Nittagahara

Bushing#2

Day-GP

4

 

 

12

11

Wells(12

 

04-21

xxx-84

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#4

 

 

 

 

 

33

 

x

04-21

xxx-87

Kushira AF

Aeroscope#1

 

 

 

 

 

31

 

x

04-21

035-90

Nittagahara

Bushing#3

Day-GP

7

 

 

22

23

 

 

04-22

036-93

Miyazaki

Nickcloth#1

Day-GP

 

 

11

11

22

 

Ambrose(3

04-24

037-96

Hatachi

Catcall#1

Day-GP

11

 

 

11

?

Floyd>M-15

 

04-26

038-104

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#6

Day-GP

7

 

 

21

22

 

 

04-26

xxx-105

Kushira AF

Aeroscope#3

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

x

04-26

xxx-106

Kokuku AF

Barranca#4

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

x

04-26

xxx-107

Miyakonojo AF

Dipper#1

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

x

04-27

039-112

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#7

Day-GP

11

 

 

10

21

Spencer(Alt

 

04-27

xxx-113

Kushira AF

Aeroscope#4

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

x

04-28

040-118

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#8

Day-GP

 

x

x

11

23

 

 

04-28

xxx-119

Kushira AF

Aeroscope#5

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

x

04-29

041-124

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#9

Day-GP

4

 

 

21

20

 

 

04-29

xxx-125

Kushira AF

Aeroscope#6

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

x

04-30

042-127

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#10

Day-GP

11

 

 

11

11

Wells(14

Ambrose(4

04-30

xxx-128

Kanoya East

Famish#6

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

04-30

xxx-129

Kokubu AF

Barranca#8

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

x

04-30

xxx-130

Oita AF

Camlet#3

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

04-30

xxx-131

Tomitaka AF

Skewer#3

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

x

04-30

xxx-132

Saeki AF

Cockorow#2

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-03

xxx-133

Tachiari AF

Agahst#4

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-03

xxx-134

Miyazaki AF

Neckcloth#6

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-03

xxx-135

Miyakonojo AF

Dripper#5

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-03

xxx-136

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#11

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-03

043-137

Kanoya East

Famish#7

Day-GP

11

 

 

 

11

Spencer>M-7

 

05-03

xxx-138

Kokubu AF

Barranca#9

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-04

xxx-140

Oita AF

Camlet#4

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

x

05-04

xxx-141

Omura AF

Vamoose#1

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

x

05-04

xxx-142

Saiki AF

Cockcrow

 

 

 

 

 

9

 

x

05-04

xxx-143

Matsuyama AF

Mopish#2

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

x

05-05

xxx-144

Oita AF

Camlet#5

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

x

05-05

xxx-145

Tachiari AF

Agahst#7

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-05

xxx-147

Kanoya AF

Checkbook#13

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

x

05-05

046-148

Chiran AF

Treadle#1

Day-GP

11

 

 

 

11

Wells(15

Ambrose(5

05-05

xxx-149

Ibusuki AF

Infirmary#1

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

x

05-10

050-165

Otake

Fainter#1

Day-GP

11

 

 

 

132

 

Ambrose(6

05-11

053-172

Kawanishi AC

Leafstalk#1

Day-GP

4

 

 

 

?

Wells(16

 

05-14

057-174

N.Nagoya urban

Microscope#4

Day-Incd

13

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(7

Clewett>

 

05-16

060-176

1st

S.Nagoya urban

Mission with

Microscope#5

Black

Nite-Incd

Bottoms

12

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(8

516 AC

 

05-19

062-178

Hamamatsu AC  

306 AC raid

Day-GP

7

 

 

 

?

 

 

05-23

xxx-181

Tokyo urban

558 AC raid

 

 

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(9

 

05-25

063-183

Tokyo urban

Kawasaki

Nite-Incd

14

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(10

498 AC

 

05-26?

067    

Tokyo

 

Day-Incd

11

 

 

 

11

 

 

05-29

070-186

Yokahoma

510 AC raid

Day-Incd

13

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(11

O'Leary>

 

06-01

076-187

Osaka

509 AC raid

Day-Incd

11

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(12

 

06-05

084-188

Kobe urban

530 AC raid

Day-Incd

13

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(13

 

06-07

081-189

Osaka urban

449 AC raid

Day-Incd

9

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(14

 

06-10

xxx-198

Hitachi AC

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

x

 

06-10

091-199

Kasumigaura

 

Day-GP

13

 

 

 

65

Ambrose(15

 

06-10

xxx-200

Tachikawa AD

 

 

 

 

 

 

34

x

 

06-15

103-203

Amagasaki

511 AC raid

Day-Incd

10

 

 

 

?

 

 

06-17

111-206

Kagoshima

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

120

Ambrose(16

 

06-19

116-212

Shizuoka

 

Nite-Incd

12

 

 

 

137

Ambrose(17

 

06-22

123-216

Mitsubishi AC

Tamashima

Day-GP

11

 

 

 

123

 

 

06-26

xxx-226

Chigura Fact

Nagoya

 

 

 

 

 

35

x

 

06-26

xxx-227

Atsuta Fact

Nagoya

 

 

 

 

 

32

x

 

06-26

xxx-230

Sumitomo metls

Nagoya

 

 

 

 

 

33

x

 

06-26

132-231

Kawasaki AC

Kagamigahara

Day-GP

12

 

 

 

35

Ambrose(18 Kordus>

 

06-28

135-237

Nobeoka urban

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

122

 

 

07-01

145-243

Shimonoseki

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

141

 

 

07-04

149-250

Tokushima

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

137

Ambrose(19

 

07-07

159-254

Kofu

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

138

Ambrose(20

 

07-10

167-260

Gifu

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

137

Ambrose(21

 

07-13

177-266

Uwogima

(uspjuma)??

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

130

Ambrose(22

 

07-17

189-274

Hiratsuka

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

132

Ambrose(23

 

07-20

194-280

Okazaki

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

130

Ambrose(24

 

07-24

174-289

TSU

 

Day-GP

13

 

 

 

81

Ambrose(25

 

07-24

xxx-290

Nakajima AC

 

 

 

 

 

 

81

 

 

07-27

205-295

Omuta

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

130

Hewitt>

 

07-28

xxx=301

Ogaki urban

 

 

 

 

 

 

96

 

 

07-28

220-302

Uwajima

 

Nite-Incd

11

 

 

 

32

Ambrose(26

 

08-02

230-309

Mito

 

Nite-Incd

15

 

 

 

167

Ambrose(27

 

08-05

240-314

Nishinomiya

Mikage urban

Nite-Incd

12

 

 

 

?

Ambrose(28

 

08-07

xxx-317

Toyokawa Arsnal

131 AC raid

 

 

 

 

 

?

 

 

08-09

xxx-320

Nakajima AC

Tokyo

 

 

 

 

 

69

 

 

08-10

250-323

Nakajima AC

Tokyo

Day-GP

14

 

 

 

78

Ambrose(29

 

08-15

265-330

Isesaki

 

Nite-Incd

15

 

 

 

93

Ambrose(30

 

08-29

287

Tokyo-Show

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

08-30

289

POW

 

Supplies

 

 

 

4

 

Ambrose(31

 

08-30

290

Tokyo

Show

 

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

08-31

292

POW

Recon

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

08-31

293

POW

 

Supplies

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

09-02

TWX

Tokyo

display of pwr

Surrender

 

 

16

 

 

Ambrose(32

 

09-30

 

Korea

display of pwr

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

Ambrose Crew's  missions 1 thru 6  as  part of the 93rd Sqd, 7 and on as part of the 28th Sqd