|
|
| This plane was assigned to the 313th Bombardment Group, XXI Bomber Command, 20th Air Force, 9th Bombardment Group (VH), 99th Squadron. |
|
Photo taken in Sacramento,
CA at a dinner given by our Air Craft Commander the night before we left
for overseas. |
After our crew finished our training at Clovis, NM we were sent to Topeka, KS to pick up the plane we were to take over seas. The citizens of Emporia, KS had a War Bond drive and sold enough bonds to pay for a B-29. Our crew was invited down to Emporia to receive the Plane, although it had not left Topeka Air Force Base. They entertained us with a parade and a banquet. It was supposed to be a 2 day affair but our outfit said we had to leave to go overseas so the one day was really very good. We were to name the plane "William Allen White" after a well known newspaper man. I think he was the Editor of the local Emporia Gazette newspaper. |
|
When we left Topeka we flew the plane to Sacramento, CA. From there we took her to Hawaii, the Island of Kawajalene, the Island of Saipan and finally over to the Island of Tinian - from which we flew our missions. We did not fly this plane on every mission. The plane could make an immediate turn around but the men couldn't. The length of the missions were from 12 to 18 hours long. My crew was one of 40 crews picked to be sent back to the States for Lead Crew training for the upcoming invasion of the Japanese mainland. |
|
| Front
row, left to right: Sgt. Karl M. Samuels, New Orleans, La; Sgt. James
L. Meeks, St. Petersburg, Florida; Sgt. Stanley Zwail, New York City; Cpl.
Francis J. Hatekevich, Mahaony City, Penna; Cpl. . James M. Kehoe, Port
Washington, Long Island, N.Y. S/Sgt. Chester O. Brannon, Wister, Okla. Back row, left to right: 2nd Lt. Vincent A. Scro, Syracuse N. Y.; 2nd Lt. Gin D. Wong, Los Angeles, Calif.; Capt. Ralph D. Gahl, Houston, Tex.; F/O Max E, Gumbert, Oliveberg, Pa.; F/O Morris W. Brooking, Lexington. Ky. |
|
Some of fhe barracks are in the background. From left to right: Me-radio operator, Chester Brannon-Flight Engineer, Francis Hatkevich-Tail gunner, and Stanley Zwail-blister gunner. |
A day or so after we finished our training the first Atomic Bomb was dropped and we didn't have to go back. Because of this bomb, I and millions of others are alive today. Ii saved the lives of several hundred thousand of our men and millions of Japanese. Had we had to go into Japan many of the young people living today would not be here as their ancestors would have been killed in the invasion. |
| The Top Secret plans for the invasion have been declassified and should be read by every person alive today. I have excerpts from those papers and they will be fodder for another web page. It scares me to think what would have happened to our crew had that invasion taken place. |
The William Allen White in all her glory !
