B-29: Last Film of Z sq 22 nearby Nagoya Found

[Shinpachi]

Last Film of Z sq 22 nearby Nagoya

The first three minutes introduces two crashed B-29s nearby Tokyo and Nagoya in January, 1945.
The B-29 of Nagoya, crashed on January 3, can be identified as Z sq 22 with serial no. 42-24766 "Leading Lady" of 882nd Squadron/500th Bomb Group of 73rd Bomb Wing in Saipan.

Sorry but there are some shocking scenes.

Four remains were found intact in the tail section.
Six were found charred in the cockpit and its nearby.
One crew, Sgt. Harold T. Hedges - gunner, bailed out and could have survived as a local witness says he was a large man and wore a pair of short pants.

As long as I know, this film was once said destroyed by fire during the war but has been survived in NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai - Japan Broadcasting Corp).

 

[syscom3]

Good find!

 

[timshatz]

Great post Shin. Never seen an unadulterated propaganda film from the Japanese side during the war.

Very informative.

 

[vikingBerserker]

That's a great post, thanks!

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks for comments, syscom3, timshatz and vB.

According to my further research, Sgt. Harold T. Hedges was a tail gunner of the B-29 which was rammed by a Japanese fighter.

He was sent to the Tokyo POW camp in Ohmori on March 1 by way of the Nagoya military police and the Osaka military prison.

A person namely 'Hedges' there was recorded coming home alive together with Mr. Hap Halloran.

 

[skeeter]

Wonder why the crew did not bale out of the ship when they could. Wreckage is bad but doesn't look like the B-29 augured in. Sad to see Americans laid out like sardines.