I was a replacement crew aircraft in the 6th Bomb Group. Arriving on Tinian at the end of May, 1945. My first B-29 in combat was "Look Homeward Angel". Later I was assigned " Rip Van Wrinkle" as my aircraft, which I flew as a lead Crew Aircraft Commander.

You might be interested in the fate of "Look Homeward Angel" . On the last mission of the war, LHA lost an engine over Japan, and diverted to Okinawa. Since the war ended before we got home from that mission, no one was in any particular rush to get it repaired. So it sat on Okinawa through the big typhoon of October, 1945. In January, 1946. LHA was returned to Tinian and was scheduled to be returned to the U.S. in Project Sunset. The crew assigned to LHA took off for Guam, and lost an engine enroute. The engine was replaced, and they headed for Kwajalein island. Enroute another engine was lost. It was replaced, and the crew took off for Honolulu. Enroute two engines were lost, and the crew returned to Kwajalein, declaring that they would walk home before they would fly LHA again. LHA was abandoned on Kwajalein until July of 1946. At that time, Project Crossroads (the atomic bomb tests at Eniwetok atoll) was about to beg. Someone had the idea that with a hot atomic bomb taking off from a very small island, it might be a good idea for the Fire Department to have some practice on aircraft fires in case of a takoff crash. So, LHA became the subject for the practice, and was destroyed on Kwajalein.

Our thanks to Hubert Smith Jr - Lt Colonel - USAF (Ret) for the above information.