Post by 4th Chord on Nov 4, 2018 14:05:13 GMT
The crew posing to duplicate their caricatures in the nose art of Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Waddy's Wagon", 869th Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group, 73rd Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force, . Isley Airfield in Saipan, 24 November 1944.
“Waddy’s Wagon” was commanded by Captain Walter R. “Waddy” Young.
Young was an 'All American' on Oklahoma’s 1938 Orange Bowl Team and had played two years in the NFL. He and his crew had been the fifth B-29 to take off from Saipan on the first raid on Tokyo, and the first back.
On the 9th of January 1945 “Waddy’s Wagon” took off from Saipan to bomb the Nakajima Aircraft Factory in Musashino, Japan. Coming off the target as stated in B-29 Hunter’s of the JAAF: “Another victim of a ramming was “Miss Behaving” AC #42-24655 from the 497th Bomb Group, flown by 1st Lt Ben Crowell. Capt Walter Young in “Waddy’s Wagon” tried to cover for his crippled wingmate as they headed out of the target area but eventually lost them. Young’s aircraft had also sustained hits from enemy fighters, and he in turn eventually ditched his aeroplane into the sea. Both crews were lost.” They ditched in the Pacific Ocean near the island of Hachijo Shima. The crew was declared dead on 10 January 1946.
Capt. Walter R. "Waddy" Young - Command Pilot (KIA)
..... O-382584 Ponca City,Oklahoma
2nd Lt. Robert M. Phillips - Pilot (KIA)**
..... O-806902 Knoxville,Tennessee ** (Phillips is not in the photo, he replaced 2nd Lt. Jack M. "Cactus" Vetters who is 2nd from the left in the photo, and who survived the war).
2nd Lt. John F. Ellis - Bombardier (KIA)
..... O-685457 Moberly,Missouri
2nd Lt. Bernard S. "Bunny" Black - Flight Engineer (KIA)
..... O-866285 Woodhaven,New York
Sgt. George E. "Sparks" Avon - Radio Operator (KIA)
..... 32936470 Syracuse,New York
Sgt. Lawrence L. "Lucky" Lee - Central Fire Control (KIA)
..... 37252164 Max,North Dakota
2nd Lt. Paul R. "Gat" Garrison,Jr. - Navigator (KIA)
..... O-698695 Lancaster,Pennsylvania
S/Sgt. Kenneth M. "Windy" Mansir - Radar Operator (KIA)
..... 11097819 Randolph,Missouri
Sgt, Wilbur J. "Sleepy" Chapman - Right Gunner (KIA)
..... 38606304 Panhandle,Texas
Sgt. Corbett L. Carnegie - Left Gunner (KIA)
..... 12214591 Grindstone Island,New York
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Gatto - Tail Gunner (KIA)
..... 12024315 Falconer,New York
On the 9th of January 1945, 2nd Lt Phillips was the substitute Co-pilot, replacing 2nd Lt Jack H. “Cactus” Vetters for a mission to Tokyo.
(Photo source - National Archives and Records Administration)
(Colorized by Jared Enos)