Date:	Wednesday 23 January 1952
Time:	night
Type:	Boeing B-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	93rd BSqn /19th BWg USAF
Registration:	44-87734
MSN:	12537
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 14
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sea of Japan, north of Chinnampo, South Pyongan -   South 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:
Boeing B-29-90-BW Superfortress 44-87734: 87734 Assigned to 462nd Bomb Group. Assigned to 24th Bomb Squadron, 6th Bomb Group. Assigned to 93rd Bomb Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, Andersen AFB, Guam. Named "Double Whammy". Damaged 14 February 1950 due to structural failure 50 miles N of Andersen AFB, Guam. Repaired and returned to service: Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan for Korean War Operations

On 28th June 1950 this aircraft dropped the first bomb in the Korean War on Seoul Railway Station, six hours after war had been declared. Damaged 4 November 1951 on the ground at Kadena AB, Okinawa while being operated by 19th BW, 93rd BS.

Destroyed on combat operations 23 January 1952: while on a night bombing sortie, the aircraft's engines died after being struck by flack, leaving only one engine operational. This caused a runaway prop which came through the fuselage, resulting in the plane catching fire. Capt. Fisher ordered the crew to bail out saving most of the crew. It was impossible for the crew members in the front of the plane to bail out due to the fire. Contact was lost over the Sea of Japan, between Okinawa and an area North of Chinnampo, South Pyongan, South Korea. Search and Rescue (SAR) results were negative.

Some of crew members were able to escape by parachuting from the aircraft with the help of S/Sgt. Law who remained on the plane, apparently unable to escape without help (according to persons who served on that aircraft with him). These men were captured by the North Koreans. Six of the fourteen crew were killed

Crew:

Argetis, 1st Lt. James - MIA
Bell, A1c James Lloyd - MIA
Caldwell, S/Sgt. Richard Bruce - MIA
Carter, 1st Lt. Bartus H. - POW/repatriated (1917-1996)
Conn, Cpl. Roderick G. - POW/repatriated (1932-1983)
Eyres, 1st Lt. Thomas Llewellyn Sr. - POW/repatriated (1923-1974)
Fisher, Capt. William Royal - pilot - MIA
Hodges, M/Sgt. Carrell Thomas - POW/repatriated (1922-1977)
Kubicek, Capt. Garold B. - POW/repatriated (1917-1978)
Law, S/Sgt. Asa Lawrence - MIA
Lewis, Pfc. David - POW/Repatriated
Thomson, 1st Lt. Hugh Ker - MIA
Wedsworth, Cpl. George A. - POW/Repatriated (1928-2009)
Weldon, Cpl. Travis C. - POW/repatriated

All those listed as MIA were declared as KIA on December 31, 1953. Those that were taken as POW, were repatriated as part of "Operation Big Switch" in September 1953.

Cause: It is believed that a technical failure occurred on one engine from which the propeller blades detached in flight and hit the fuselage

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_damage.htm
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1952/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29-90-bw-superfortress-off-nampo-14-killed/]
4. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/b29s/p_b29s_losses_personnel.htm
5. Photo of nose art: http://amthor.org/19/mag24/Pages/24_03.html
6. https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=133236
7. https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=189753

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Jun-2017 22:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2017 22:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2017 22:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
08-Feb-2021 15:42	Paco	Updated [Operator, Operator]