ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 175228
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| Date: | Saturday 5 May 1945 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Boeing B-29 Superfortress |
| Owner/operator: | 398th BSqn /504th BGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-65305 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 11 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Tachiarai Air Base, Fukuoka -
 Japan
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | North Field AAF, Guam |
Martin-Omaha B-29-25-MO Superfortress 42-65305: Built under licence by Glenn L. Martin Company, Omaha, Nebraska. Assigned to the PTO (Pacific Theater of Operations). Issued to 393rd Bomb Squadron, 504th Bomb Group
Shot down during a bombing raid over Tachiarai Air Base, Fukuoka, Japan May 5, 1945. All twelve crew bailed out. (MACR #14363). Four crew members died during or after bailing out of the plane; 1 crewman's parachute was cut by Japanese aircraft, 1 crewman shot himself, 1 died at the crash site, and 1 was reportedly murdered by an angry mob of local people. Seven survived to become POWs, but six died in medical experiments at the Kyushu University in Japan, reportedly at dates between May 17 and June 2 1945
Crew of B-29 #42-65305 were:
1st Lt Marvin S. Watkins - Pilot (interrogated and interned at Omori POW Camp: released at the end of war - died in Virginia, USA, in 1984 of natural causes)
2nd Lt William R. Fredericks - Co Pilot (died in medical experiments)
2nd Lt Howard Thomas Shingledecker, - Bombardier (see notes below)
Charles M. Kearns - Navigator (died at crash site)
2nd Lt Dale E. Plambeck - Radar Operator (died in medical experiments)
Robert C. Johnson - Left Gunner (died at crash site: reportedly surrounded by an angry mob, and shot himself)
S/Sgt Teddy J. Ponczka - Flight Engineer (wounded in action - stabbed by locals on landing: died in medical experiments)
Corporal Robert B. Williams - Radio Operator (died in medical experiments)
Corporal Leon E. Czarnecki - Tail gunner (died in medical experiments)
Corporal Leo C. Oeinck - Right Gunner (died at crash site; unconfirmed reports are that he landed by parachute, alive but injured, and was murdered by an angry mob)
Corporal John C. Colehower - Tail Gunner (died in medical experiments)
According to published Japanese sources (translated into English, see link #8) "...the body of 2nd Lt Howard Thomas Shingledecker, was severed with a parachute string on a fighter plane and was found as a dead body in front of the Miyaji police station".
On May 5, 1977, a "monument of the martyrs" to memorize both Japanese and American aviators was built at the crash site and a memorial service is held every year.
Sources:
1. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_3a.html ..
2. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/May1945O.htm
3. http://conspiracy-cafe.blogspot.com/2015/04/us-bomber-crew-shot-down-over-japan.html
4. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-05-28/news/1995148003_1_japan-kyushu-university-fukuoka
5. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3028694/U-S-POWs-shot-Japan-70-years-ago-dissected-ALIVE-macabre-experiments-controversial-new-exhibition-shows.html#ixzz3Wiy7Jv00
6. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11517759/American-POWs-used-for-live-experiments-in-Japan-according-to-new-museum.html
7. https://user.xmission.com/~tmathews/b29/56years/56years-4505a.html
8. http://aomorikuushuu.jpn.org/B29-42-65305.html (Japanese text)
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49313874
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Apr-2015 06:59 | gerard57 | Added |
| 13-Jul-2017 15:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Jul-2017 15:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Jul-2017 16:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Mar-2020 09:50 | DG333 | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 06-Oct-2021 09:56 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
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