Date:	Thursday 31 January 1952
Time:	21:54 LT
Type:	Boeing B-29A Superfortress
Owner/operator:	372nd BSqn /307th BWg USAF
Registration:	44-62083
MSN:	11560
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Sea of Japan, 100 miles North of Kadena AB, Okinawa -   Japan
Phase:	En route
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-29A-60-BN Superfortress 44-62083: Assigned to 306th Bomb Group, MacDill AFB, Florida. Damaged in an accident 16 December 1950 due to mechanical failure at MacDill AFB, Florida. Re-Assigned to 372nd Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Group, MacDill AFB, Florida. Deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, for Korean War operations.

Missing on combat operations over the Sea of Japan, approximately 100 miles North of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan: Attached to the 372nd Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Wing, this aircraft left Kadena AB on a routine combat mission on January 31 1952. According to the son of Capt. Robert Richard Hebert, "He was my father. His hometown was San Bernardino, California. He was pilot of a B-29 stationed in Okinawa during the Korean War. He was Caucasian. He was declared MIA when his B-29 was lost on a training mission in the Sea of Japan. Speculation among others stationed in Okinawa was that bombs aboard the aircraft detonated accidentally in route to their target killing everyone onboard."

All 13 crew: MIA, presumed KIA
Adams, Capt. Robert Henry - MIA
Allen, 1st Lt. Charles Edward Jr. - MIA
Bristol, 2nd Lt. Richard Graves - MIA
Hebert, Capt. Robert Richard - MIA
McLain, Cpl. James William - MIA
Moldafsky, 1st Lt. Irwin - MIA
Owens, Cpl. Leonard Grady - MIA
Reiche, 2nd Lt. Paul Richard - MIA
Ruska, M/Sgt. James - MIA
Schuman, T/Sgt. Arthur Henry - MIA
Stinnett, Pfc. Clem Lee - MIA
Threlkeld, Capt. William Earle - MIA
Williams, Cpl. Merlyn Keith - MIA

At the time of Corporal Grady's disappearance, his 17-year old sister Geneva was writing to an Air Force veteran serving with a search and rescue team. Carl Starkey told her that B-29 crews were supposed to radio in every 100 miles. They received two transmissions from 44-62083, but nothing after that. When the research and rescue team went out, all they found was a dipstick and a slick of oil

1. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/b29s/p_b29s_losses_damage.htm .
2. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.h]tml
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1952/archives/crash-of-a-boeing-b-29a-60-bn-superfortress-into-the-oriental-china-sea-13-killed/]
4. http://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/KoreaAccounting/korwald_all.pdf
5. http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/1950s/1950Dec.htm
6. http://www.dpaa.mil/portals/85/Documents/KoreaAccounting/pmkor_una_usaf.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-May-2017 11:29	gerard57	Updated [Total fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2017 20:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
14-Jun-2017 21:15	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
23-Nov-2020 12:56	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Operator]