Headquarters 881st Bombardment Squadron
500th Bombardment Group
APO 237, C/0 Postmaster, San Francisco Calif.
27 February 1945
Mr. John
W. Shields
187 Gilman St.
Bridgeport, Conn.
Dear Mr. Shields,
The War Department has already informed you that your nephew, 1st Lt.
Stanley H. Samuelson, has been missing in action since 19 February 1945.
Our target that day was the city of Tokyo. Your nephew's plane, squadron number Z Square 12, was in the lead squadron over the target and it was during our run into the target that we were heavily attacked by Jap fighters. The fighter attacks were very aggressive and determined, more so than usually, possibly because of the two day carrier strike against Tokyo which had just ended the preceding day. No matter what the cause, one fanatical Jap fighter pilot pressed his attack causing Z Square 12 to catch fire and explode. I saw Z Square 12 go down but, being in the lead airplane, my view was very limited. A bombardier of the squadron following directly behind the first squadron saw this:
"I saw Z Square 12 shot down by an Irving (name of a Japanese Fighter plane) over the target. The Irving attacked from directly above causing Z Square 12 to catch fire near the rear bomb bay. Z Square 12 broke in two and was last seen losing altitude rapidly. Six parachutes were seen leaving the ship, one of which was on fire.".
Because of a layer of clouds several thousand feet below the formation, nobody observed the falling airplane to crash. Whether any more of the crew parachuted after the plane went into the clouds is unknown, but a definite possibility exists that more could have left the plane. It is felt that several crew members from previous airplanes are prisoners of war of the Japanese, but as yet no official word has come out of Japan in verification. So I can give you no hope as to when you'll be notified if your nephew was one of those that parachuted.
I had the highest regard for your nephew, Stanley, and his crew. They were all outstanding in their work both in the air and on the ground. Stanley was held in high regard as a pilot by all members of the Squadron and he will be deeply missed by all.
It is with a heavy heart that I write this, but I'm going to go along with you and hope that Stanley was one of those that parachuted out of the plane.
You have the deepest sympathy of the officers and men of this organization at this trying time for you. May I express my own personal sympathy at this time.
Yours most sincerely,
RALPH
A. REEVE,
Lt. Col., Air Corps,
Commanding
Front Row l to r:
RA Hargrove, Sgt.- Tail Gunner; JJ Goulooze, Sgt- Gunner; CR Weiser, Sgt.
- Gunner; RP Evans, S/Sgt.- Radar (Survived); AT Kramer, T/Sgt -Radio
Operator
Back Row l to r: JJ Wright, Lt. Bombardier; EM Shinn, Lt.-Engineer;
CK Kingsley-Lt.-Navigator; JS Martinson, Lt.-Copilot; SH Samuelson, Capt.-Pilot;
RJ Janecek, Sgt.- Gunner (not pictured)
