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This was a night incendiary mission involving 24 planes from the
6th Bomb Group:
The arsenal area of Tokyo was hit on 13 April and the urban area of
Kawasaki (suburb south of Tokyo proper) felt the result of Sixth bombs on
the night of 15 April. Both of these raids were incendiary attacks.
* * * twenty-four [ships] reached the target at Kawasaki. On
the Kawasaki raid four enemy aircraft were claimed to be destroyed.
Gunners credited with fighter kills were Sgt Jones, 24th Squadron, and Sgt
McCrea, Cpl Podolny, and Cpl Fields, all of the 40th Squadron.
Intense anti-aircraft fire included automatic weapons and rockets but all
aircraft returned with only slight damage.
[Pirate's Log, p. 38]
According to the DFC Citation for Crew #2405 "Big Joe":
For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight 15
April 1945. These individuals were combat crew members of a B-29 based in
the Marianas Islands attacking important industrial facilities in the city
of Kawasaki, Japan, on a low-level, night incendiary raid. Despite
formidable searchlight defenses, an aggressive attack by an enemy fighter,
ground to air rockets, and heavy accurate flak, this crew successfully
made it's individual bomb run over the target as briefed. They aided in
heavily damaging the designated area. Indicative of the opposition
encountered is the fact that more than eight of the planes on this
mission, including their own, sustained considerable battle damage. In
spite of this, these crew members who have completed more than twenty four
combat missions, displayed a high degree of skill in performance of
individual duties. They demonstrated excellent teamwork and, by
determination to perform the task at hand despite all obstacles, reflected
great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.
According to the DFC Citation for Crew #40??:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight 15 April 1945. These individuals were combat crew members of
a B-29 aircraft flying from a base in the Marianas on a night incendiary
raid against important industrial installations in the city of Kawasaki,
Japan. Despite the fact that this was their first bombing mission against
the home island of Japan, each member of this crew performed his assigned
duties with such exceptional skill and courage that the entire mission was
outstandingly successful. The long 3,000-mile over-water flight was
negotiated skillfully in the face of adverse weather conditions and
darkness, which made navigation and flying extremely difficult. The actual
attack against the target through extremely heavy anti-aircraft fire,
searchlights and fighter defenses, but the bombs were released exactly on
the designated target. The outstanding teamwork and determination to
accomplish their mission, notwithstanding the heaviest opposition,
displayed by each of these individuals contributed materially to the over
all success of the entire raid, which devastated approximately three
square miles of the city. Their exceptionally high standard of performance
on this occasion reflects great credit on themselves and the Army Air
Forces.
First Lieutenant ROBERT K. RULAND as Airplane Commander
First Lieutenant JOHN E. COUNSELL as Bombardier
Second Lieutenant DONALD J. DUMMER as Radar Observer
Second Lieutenant MARSHALL PERLIN as Navigator
Flight Officer OWEN F. MCGOLDRICK as Pilot
Master Sergeant ROBERT O. WELLONS as Flight Engineer
Staff Sergeant CHARLES L. BOYD as Radio operator
Staff Sergeant LAWRENCE J. MATTHEWS as Central Fire Control Gunner
Staff Sergeant MEZONIA P. WATSON as Left Gunner
Staff Sergeant CLYDE D. SANDERS as Tail Gunner
Sergeant ERNEST L. TYLER as Right Gunner
[Transcribed by David Wilson, son of Sgt Bernard E. Wilson (Gunner, "Anonymous IV")]
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