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