Date:	Thursday 12 April 1951
Time:	10:18 LT
Type:	Boeing B-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	19th BWg /93rd BSqn USAF
Registration:	44-86370
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sea off Ryongampo, North Pyongan -   North Korea
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Martin-Omaha B-29-50-MO Superfortress 44-86370: Built under licence by Glenn L. Martin Company, Omaha, Nebraska. Damaged in accident 3 December 1950 due to weather landing at McClellan AFB, California. Repaired and returned to service: reassigned to 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, Andersen AFB, Guam. Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan. Named ‘Lucky Dog’

Written off (destroyed) on combat operations 12 April 1951: While attacking a bridge spanning the Yalu River between Andong and Sinuiju, North Korea, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet MiG-15. The engine number one caught fire and the aircraft crashed into the sea off Ryongampo. North Pyongan, North Korea. Ditching attempted at 38 deg 45 min N and 124 deg 50 min E. [3rd] Air Sea Rescue reported 2 large rafts, 1 small raft, and debris sighted but no survivors were seen in rafts. 3 British surface vessels searching area. 12 aboard.

Despite an extensive SAR operation, debris and an oil slick were that were found, but no parachutes were observed; there was no trace of the 12 crew members. However, one body was recovered five days later (see below)

Crew of 44-86370:
Sgt Hugh M. Burch KIA/KIA
M/Sgt Albert B. Carlson, MIA/KIA
1st Lt James J. Connolly, KIA/KIA
Major Anaclethe P. Decesare, MIA/KIA
Captain Raymundo Delgado, MIA/KIA
S/Sgt Allen C. Dinger, MIA/KIA
1st Lt Bobbie A. Goodwin, MIA/KIA
S/Sgt Shields T. Henson, MIA/KIA
S/Sgt George W. Higgins: MIA/KIA - His remains were recovered by surface vessel on April 17, 1951 at 38 48'N, 124 32'E (body must have drifted on the times some miles form where the B-29 went down). They were returned to the USA and interned at Jarnagon Cemetery on January 2, 1952 with full military honors by the USAF from Dalton AFB in Greenville, South Carolina,
S/Sgt Fred S. KIrby Jr., MIA/KIA
Captain Fred O. Rudat, MIA/KIA
Captain Melvin P. Winters MIA/KIA

With the exception of S/Sgt George W. Higgins, all of the crew of 44-86370 were initially listed as Missing in Action (MIA) and were formally presumed dead (KIA) on January 31, 1954.

1. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_6.htm]l .
2. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/b29s/p_b29s_losses_personnel.htm
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1951/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29-50-mo-superfortress-off-ryongampo-12-killed/]
4. Photo of nose art: http://amthor.org/19/mag24/Pages/24_01.html
5. http://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/KoreaAccounting/korwald_all.pdf
6. http://koreanwarpowmia.net/missing/MIA_IND.asp?SERV_NO=17069A
7. https://etvma.org/veterans/george-w-higgins-11137/
8. https://www.koreanwar.org/html/units1/usaf/93bs.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Jun-2017 19:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Jun-2017 19:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
08-Feb-2021 08:42	E.Robot	Updated [Operator, Operator]