B-29 Haley's Comet under research

[Shinpachi]

Does anybody know exact colors of the nose art "Haley's comet" of B-29?
The right one is my guess.

This is said painted on a Superfort A sq 22 870SQ 497BG 73BW 20th Air Force stayed on Saipan during 1944-1945.

On January 27, 1945, Haley's Comet got a flak hit on her bomb bay to fire above Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. She dropped back the formation, released bombs on the forest of Shizuoka city and finally rammed by Nick(Ki-45) to crash on Inba County, Chiba Prefecture east to Tokyo.

Three or four crews jumped into the air.
1/Lt David C. Williams, Copilot's paraschute did not open and could not survive.
Lt. Vere Daw Carpenter, Radar Operator and Sgt Olinto F. Lodovici, Tailgunner captured as POW and returned to U.S. after the war though I find no their own testimony about the incident at the moment.
2/Lt Joseph Bena, Navigator was regarded as KIA (Killed In Action).
I do not know if the KIA means he parachuted.

I and my friend are trying to visualise the rammed scene finally as precise as possible by CG on Web.

You can check more details at -

Zero_fighter_instruments_panel_BBS
Nagakura's_BBS
Shinpachi's BBS
January_27_1945
Ki-45 Nick Manufacture Number 4067

Any advice will be appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[Shinpachi]

It might have looked like this.

I was born in Sendai city, northeast of Japan, in 1953.
There was a US base camp at Kawauchi which was located neaby my old house.
No military anymore because they left for the Korean War.
Only American style houses and gardens remained.
They were painted in shining white with window frame in fresh green.
Very beautiful. I missed American culture and studyed English much harder than any of my friends in the class.
My English teacher used to be working for the US Military as a translator. It sounded so fantastic.

Sorry this has nothing to do with the thread.
I happened to recall my old days.

Yes, everything was really exotic there!

 

[Porphyrins]

Hello,

My Grandmother passed on some genealogy documents to me recently, and within the package was a letter dated November 10, 1940 from Sgt. Olino F. Lodovici. The letter is addressed to "Attn: Lt. Col. John T. Burns" in regards to a request for information regarding the members of his crew. I am interesting in finding family members that might want this information. My tie is to First Lt. David C. Williams. He did not have children, but his father, another David C. Williams is my 2nd great grandfather, making 1st Lt. David Williams my great grandmother Helen's brother.

Below I am transcribing the document (typed on VERY thin paper, so some spots are unreadable).

Braun Hotel
Victoria, Kansas
Nov. 10, 1945

Status Review and Determination Section
Casualty Branch
War Department
Munitions Building, Room 4601
Washington 25, D.C.

Attn; Lt. Col John T. Burns, OIC

Gentleman:

In reply to your request of Nov, 6, 1945 concerning the members of my crew, the following statement is submitted:

We took off from Saipan on 27 January, target Tokyo. There were about fifteen ships in our formation that day. Fighter opposition was very heavy. We lost our number 4[?] man about a minute away from the target. We were flying number 6 position. Over the target we dropped all bombs except one. We were trying to kick the remaining bomb out, and because the doors were open they probably through we were crippled. The majority of the fighters concentrated on our one ship.

The first pass we had was made on the nose -- I think there were three or four fighters in that attack. They hit our bombardier Pleus, copilot Williams, and pilot McDonald. Pleus was hit pretty bad and may have been killed. Williams was hit through the chest and head. I remember Williams calling over the interphone telling the copilot he was hit in the head and had blood in his eye and couldn't see and wouldn't be able to help him. He asked McDonald if they got him. McDonald said they got him but thought he could probably make it. I believe the radio operator, the navigator and the engineer were hit with this same pass.

Fighter opposition was so heave at this point that some of the positions ran out of ammunition. I was riding tail gun and I ran out of ammunition and had my gun knocked out and sight shot out of my hand. I was hit in the back of the head and was out of the picture. I tried to call over the interphone for help but the interphone was out.

I looked out the window then to see what was going on. We were hit all over and burning in about three different places. I looked out the left window when the ship started to do a slow roll. We were diving into two fighters. I realized then that the ship was in such bad shape that the pilot had evidently been killed or passed out from his wounds.

At that time we were quite a ways from the rest of the formation. It was a hell of a formation, and the only fellow that stayed with us was the commanding officer.

I then looked out the right window and saw that about four feet were burned off the wings. Fuel cells were sticking out in the open and I knew it wouldn't be long before the ship blew up. I put on my parachute and opened my escape hatch and bailed out. As I bailed out I heard the ship explode. Altitude at that time was 24,500 feet.

I hit the ground and was immediately taken captive. I was placed in solitary confinement for a little better than two months. While I was in solitary confinement I was interrogated quite a few times. During the first interrogation I found out the only other crew member that got out was radar operator Carpenter. On April 3 I was removed to a special category at Camp Omori. I saw Carpenter but couldn't talk to him until April 7.

The rest of the story is what Carpenter told me. He said about five minutes before we left the ship our left gunner was hit pretty badly. He tried to give him blood plasma but [unreadable due to fold in paper that has torn] oxygen Carpenter had to go get his oxygen, but when he returned Carpenter was unconscious again. [odd, but it does say, "Carpenter was unconscious again"]. The ship was burning so badly that he realized he had to get out. The only two other living members of the crew in that compartment were the CFC gunner and the right gunner. He told them that they would all have to bail out, and to put on their chutes and get ready. Connell was still firing his guns at the time. He couldn't tell whether Connell was much injured but Preisser looked to be in book shape. Carpenter then went back and put his chute on, assuming that the others would do the same. He then opened the door to bail out and that's all he remembered until he hit the ground. We know for certain that the ship blew up and no other member of the crew got out. We were both put in special category until August 15, and liberated August 29. We were made prisoners of war on August 19.

Respectfully,

Sgt. Olinto F. Lodovici, 6,999,883


There is also an image, this is what is on back:

Our Crew – September 5th, 1944

Standing Left to Right:

1st/Lt. Pleus – Bombardier
2nd/Lt. William – Co-pilot
1st/Lt. Audevich – Navigator
2nd/Lt. Bennet – Flight Engineer
Major Haley – Airplane Commander

Kneeling Left to Right:

Cpl. Lodovici – Tail Gunner
Cpl. Campbell – Left Gunner
Sgt. Carpenter – Confidential Equipment Operator
Sgt. Connell – Top (Senior) Gunner
Sgt. Hassell – Radio Operator
A/Sgt. Baggett – Crew Chief

________________________________

I also have some newspaper clippings (probably a Rochester Michigan newspaper) about David C. Williams death.


Please contact me if you have any information on First Lt. David C. Williams
angelique (at) porphyrins (dot) org

Thanks!

 

[syscom3]

Porphyrins

You should post that on the B29 website.

There might be some squadron personnel that are still around and remember the mission.

http://b-29.org/

 

[Shinpachi]

Hi, Porphyrins!

Thank you very much for your precious information about Haley's Comet.
It would be a hardship for you to type all those sentences.

The testimony by one of the survivors Sgt. Olino F. Lodovici is sure what I have been looking for. Please let me write you later again as this is early morning here and I must go to work now, regretly.

Attached image I made show Haley's Comet and Ki-45 fighter which rammed Haley's Comet finally. Pilot was Sgt. Yuuichi Kobayashi(20yo) with radio crew Corporal Natsuo Koibuchi(18yo).

Please tell my best wishes and gratitude to your kind Grandmother too.

*******

Hi, syscom3.

I am also a member of b-29.org for a couple of months
My nickname is fm2829hj2008.
I'm receiving a dozen of mail information everyday

 

[Micdrow]

Dont know if this will help but found this in the book B-29 by John M Campbell.

 

[syscom3]

*******

Hi, syscom3.

I am also a member of b-29.org for a couple of months
My nickname is fm2829hj2008.
I'm receiving a dozen of mail information everyday

Lots of great information, isnt it?

8)

 

[Shinpachi]

Thank you Micdrow for such a clear noseart image of Haley's Comet.
I always admire your huge data stock!

Yes, syscom3. There are lots of great information about the Superfort and crew. Data seem being updated hour by hour.
It's amazing for me sixty three years after the war! You told me the site first. Thank you!

 

[Shinpachi]

Hi, Porphyrins!

The followings are my research results in Japan about your Great Grandmother's brother.


First Lt. WILLIAMS, David C. Jr ID#0-683933
Incident on January 27, 1945.
His parachute did not open and he fell on the ground of Kamishiro, Ooaza, Wada Village, Inba County,
Chiba Prefecture nearby Tokyo.
His remains was buried at the Imperial Japanese Army Cemetery of Sakura-cho, Inba County,
Chiba Prefecture with respect as a military man and returned to the U.S. in postwar.

Haley's Comet herself crashed on Sisui-cho, Inba County, Chiba Prefecture.

Reference site:
A B-29 rammed by a Ki-45 Nick over Funabashi

Key word: Lieutenant Walter S. McDonnel
ttp://mypages.cityhighflash.com/flakalley.html

Former Army Cemetery of Sakura
ttp://blog.goo.ne.jp/mercury_mori/e/

Porphyrins.
Would you mind if I may ask you to post the old photograph of Haley's Comet with crew, and the newspaper clippings if possible here?
I am interested in them very much because the relating photos and records are very few.....

Thank you again Porphyrins for your fantastic informaion.
If any new finding coming up here, I shall let you know time to time.

May his soul rest in peace.
Shinpachi

 

[Micdrow]

Thank you Micdrow for such a clear noseart image of Haley's Comet.
I always admire your huge data stock!

Thanks Shinpachi, though I really dont think I have a huge data stock. I just told my wife the other day I was wishing I had more info.

 

[Porphyrins]

Thank you very much for your information as well

Here is the image of the men and the plane:

Thank you again for this information. I will have time to review it today, it is all very new information.

Take Care,

Angelique

 

[Shinpachi]

Thank you Angelique!
I have met real Haley's Comet and her crew now!
Many thanks

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, Micdrow.
You are modest

 

[Porphyrins]

You are so welcome Shinpachi!

I am glad we are all able to put pieces together so many years later. I am new to all of this information and am learning quite a bit!

We all want to know what we are doing here and where we have come from, my genealogy research is helping me to understand not only my medical history, but also the history of all of our cultures. I did not know so much about my own family history. It is my feeling that when we put pieces together like this, that it helps later generations to know who we were and help them understand where they came from and hopefully to make a much better future.

Here is the image of the newspaper copies from Rochester Michigan that speak of David Williams death and some other details. I am sad to say that some of the text is unreadable

I hope that this image can be "saved" easily and then when opened possibly easier to "zoom" in on to see the text.

I will be sharing these posts on the forum that was recommended here as well

Thank you again for your help! I appreciate it very much!

Angelique

 

[Shinpachi]

Dear Angelique,

Thank you for your post the newspaper copies.
Almost contents are readable. That is enough.

I have been researching the war and warefares for my own curiousity but
you are thinking about the later generations. That is great and right.
We must consider them.

Thanks for your very educational opinion.
It will be my great pleasure if my information may have contributed to your genealogy research somewhat.

Wishing happiness of your family,

Fumiyuki Nagakura alias Shinpachi

 

[shine's granddaughter]

Porphyrins,

I'm olinto lodovici's granddaughter. I came across this web site as I was looking for more information on my grandfathers mission. I want to thank u for posting his letter as well as all the other postings from you and everyone else . Thanks again i look forward to visiting this site more often now that i know its here.

 

[Shinpachi]

Welcome to this forum, shine's granddaughter!
Please have a good time here.
Merry Christmas

 

[Micdrow]

Welcome to the sight shine's granddaughter. Will leave this here for a day or two and then move into technial area.

 

[shine's granddaughter]

Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for the welcoming. Micdrow when its moved where will it go cause i want my family to see it.

 

[Micdrow]

Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for the welcoming. Micdrow when its moved where will it go cause i want my family to see it.

I will wait till after Christmas to move it to the Aircraft markings and camoflauge area. When I do move it there. There will be a direct link from where it is now to that area for one month. If for some reason you cant find it after that please let me know and I will send a direct link to you.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Paul