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20th Air Force
B-29 World War II Missions
Crew 31
CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW FOR THE B-29 SUPERFORTRESS SPECIFICATION
Click for B-29 Specifications
CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW FOR 1973 CREW REUNION PICTURE IN DALLAS, TEXAS
Top Row: John Hill,  Jim Webb,  Chic Cheider,  Henry Snow,  Bernie Greene  and  Sam Laneve
Click for Dallas 1973 Reunion Picture
Bottom Row:  Dave Smith,  Edgar Tuttle,  Jack Tate,  Robert Stott  and  Richard Wachs
Crew 31 positioned in respective positions from cutaway view of B-29 Superfortress
Position
Name
Grade
Serial #
Airplane Commander
Henry W. Snow Jr.
1st Lt.
0806159
Pilot
Samuel C. Laneve
1st Lt.
0782309
Navigator
James L. Webb
1st Lt.
02064365
Bombardier
Bernard P. Greene
1st Lt.
0785102
Flight Engineer
Clarence W. Beevers
T/Sgt.
14060525
Radio Operator
Richard A. Wachs
S. Sgt.
15328653
Radar Operator
John T. Hill
1st Lt.
0264581
Central Fire Control Gunner
Edgar E. Tuttle
S. Sgt.
39918679
Left Blister Gunner
Jack D. Tate
S. Sgt.
34919617
Right Blister Gunner
Robert L. Stott
S. Sgt.
36477651
Tail Gunner
David C. Smith
S. Sgt.
35065208 
GUAM MISSIONS
ARRIVED ON GUAM APRIL 20, 1945
B-29 MISSIONS FLOWN FROM GUAM AGAINST JAPAN
Log of: Radio operator - Staff Sergeant Richard A. Wachs, serial # 15328653
21st Bomber Command 314 Bombardment Wing
61st Bombardment Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group Crew # 31
Target: - SAEKI - Naval air base Combat Flying Hours: 15:10 Remarks: 20 general purpose 500lb. Bombs Little flack - 3 fighter attacks Flew with crew # 37
Target: - Kobe - Kawanshi Air craft plant Combat Flying Hours: 18:00 Remarks: Heavy flack , 15 fighter attacks #2 engine controls and hydraulic brake system shot out. Landed at Iwo Jima with aid of parachute (Received Distinguished Flying Cross for mission).  

Aborted Mission - May 15, 1945
Target: - Nagoya Combat Flying Hours: 15:45 Remarks: Night Mission , Radar Run, 24 incendiary bombs no flack, no fighters.
Target : - Hamamatsu Combat Flying Hours : 17:05 Remarks: 20 G.P. Bombs Cloud Coverage - Radar run Bombing Alt. 26,000 ft. - little flack no fighters, Landed at Iwo Jima, low on gas, seen crew bail out over water.
Target : Tokyo Combat Flying Hours: 16:50 Remarks: Night mission, 16 incendiaries, intense flak & search lights, jettisoned 12 bombs off coast, front bomb bays inoperable, landed on Saipan.

May 28, 1945

Our Central Fire Control Gunner, Edgar Tuttle shot himself in the foot while cleaning his gun.

Target: - Yokohama Combat Flying Hours : 19:00 Remarks : 116 - 100 pound gasoline jell bombs Visual run, Altitude 19,000 ft., intense flak, one fighter attack Plane # P-1 hit over target, buddied with them, 4 men bailed out. Contacted sub and dumbo, to give position one man picked up by sub. Landed at Iwo Jima to refuel. On June 6, 3 men picked up, to date Reck- radio operator missing , with us at Carlsbad Caverns.

June 1, 1945 Aborted:
Target: - Kobe Combat Flying Hours: 16:30 Remarks: 116 - 100 pound gasoline jell bombs, visual run, altitude 15,000 ft. Meager flak, 5 fighters, one hole in horizontal tail. Made it back to base , low on gas.
Target: - Osaka Combat Flying Hours: 17:05 Remarks: Altitude 21,00 ft., Incendiary bombs, Radar run, little flak, landed at Tinian to re-fuel.
Target: - Chiba Combat Flying Hours: 14:45 Remarks: Aircraft Assembly Plant, Altitude 15,000 ft., General purpose bombs, No flack or fighters, Landed at base.
Target: - Kagoshima Combat Flying Hours: 17:05 Remarks: Night mission, altitude 8,500 ft., 116 gasoline jell bombs, moderate flak, no fighters, landed at Iwo Jima to refuel.
Target: - Shizuoka Combat Flying Hours: 15:00 Remarks: Altitude 8,000 ft., Industrial Center, incendiary bombs, little flak, no fighters, returned to base.
Target: - Tamashima Combat Flying Hours : 15:10 Remarks: New aircraft assembly plant, altitude 15,500 ft., general purpose bombs, meager flak, 3 fighters - no attacks, returned to base.
Navigation Escort Combat Flying Hours : 16:40 Remarks: Escorted P-51 fighter planes to Tokyo area. Fighters strafed the area and rendezvoused with us to return to base. Mission flown from Iwo Jima
Target: - Hiratsuka Combat Flying Hours : 14:00 Remarks: Naval Installations, night mission, radar run, 40 incendiaries, no flack or fighters. Returned to Guam.
Target: - Okasaki Combat Flying Hours : 14:10 Remarks: 184 gas jell bombs, Night mission ,visual bombing, no flak or fighters, returned to base.
Target: Omuta Combat Flying Hours: 15:40 Remarks: Night mission, incendiaries, visual bombing, no flak or fighters, returned to base.
Target: Ogaki Combat Flying Hours: 14:50 Remarks: Night mission, radar run, incendiaries, no flak or fighters, Bombing run broadcasted to States from "k" ship, returned to base.
Target: Mito Combat Flying Hours: 15:45 Remarks: Night mission, incendiaries, flak no fighters, No.1 engine caught on fire on bomb run, feathered it and returned to base.
Target: Mikage (Nishinomiya) Combat Flying Hours: 15:05 Remarks: night mission, incendiaries, No. 2 engine lost oil, feathered it and bombed Shingu, a city on the coast of Honshu, returned to base.
Target: Tokyo Combat Flying Hours: 14:30 Remarks: Day mission, 4- 2000 # & 5- 500# bombs, intense flak, 8 holes in plane, returned to base.
(announced Japan's acceptance of Pottsdam peace terms. )
Target: Isesaki Combat Flying Hours: 14:40 Remarks: Night mission, incendiaries, no flak or fighters, returned to base. (Last Combat Mission)
Target: Tokyo Flying hours: 16:40 Remarks: Flew over Tokyo in formation as a display of power.
September 2, 1945 - VJ Day
Japan surrendered, terms formally signed.
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