The 6th Bomb Group

Crew #3916 included the following individuals:

Cpt John C. Jaekels (A/C)
1/Lt Barron A. Richmond (Pilot)
1/Lt Arthur C. Login (Navigator)
1/Lt John N. Thomas (Bombardier)
S/Sgt Edward E. McNabney (Engineer)
S/Sgt Donald F. Walton (Radio)
S/Sgt Ben M. Spann (Radarman)
S/Sgt Raymond J. Jahelka (CFC)
S/Sgt Albert J. Hrach (R Gunner)
S/Sgt William A. Savidge (L Gunner)
S/Sgt Bernard E. Snyder (T Gunner)

In late March, 2/Lt Malcolm McFee (Pilot) replaced 1/Lt Barron A. Richmond (Pilot), who was assigned to Crew #3918.

Photo courtesy of John McFee son of 1/Lt Malcolm McFee.

1/Lt Malcolm McFee is in the front row, 2d from left.

DFC Citation - Mission 29. Kanoya East Airfield, Kyushu (Apr 22)

For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight 22 April 1945. These individuals were combat crew members of a B-29 on a high precision-bombing raid against a Japanese airfield on the island of Kyushu, Japan. The purpose of the raid was to destroy facilities on the field, preventing the enemy from staging further heavy, damaging attacks against our Naval forces then busy in the invasion of nearby Okinawa.  The achievement of this objective depended upon extraordinary precise flying and bombing. On this mission, this crew flew their plane as briefed and dropped their bombs exactly on the target in spite of heavy, intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire which damaged their plane and extremely aggressive fighter attacks which sent a twenty millimeter shell into the fuselage, shot away the rudder cable and resulted in other damage. On the return to base, the crew flew their plane within sight of another even more seriously damaged B-29 so that in the event of a forced ditching they would be able to assist the rescue facilities. Throughout the entire mission each member of this crew performed his assigned duties with exceptional skill and contributed materially to its outstanding success which destroyed hangers and maintenance facilities on the airfield as well as damaging planes and equipment. By their coolness and courage in the face of desperate enemy opposition, their determination to accomplish the assigned mission and the superior teamwork of these individuals, who have completed more than twenty-one combat sorties, reflected great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.

Captain JOHN C JAEKELS (then First Lieutenant) as Airplane Commander
First Lieutenant ARTHUR C LOGIN as Navigator
First Lieutenant JOHN N THOMAS as Bombardier
Second Lieutenant MALCOLM MCFEE as Pilot
Master Sergeant EDWARD E MCNABNEY as Flight Engineer
Technical Sergeant RAYMOND J JAHELKA as Central Fire controller
Staff Sergeant BEN M SPANN as Radar Operator
Staff Sergeant DONALD F WALTON as Radio Operator
Staff Sergeant ALBERT J HRACH as Right Blister Gunner
Staff Sergeant WILLIAM A SAVIDGE as Left Blister Gunner
Staff Sergeant BERNARD E SNYDER as Tail Gunner

[Transcribed by David Wilson, son of Sgt Bernard E. Wilson (Gunner, "Anonymous IV")]

This crew generally flew "Grider Gal".