#14. Snooky


Credits

Thanks to Anita Preston Schaezler, daughter of Cpt Clark Preston, A/C.

The Airplane

Snooky was the first B-29 to land on Tinian. Snooky was first flown by Cpt Clark Preston and his crew, and was named after his daughter Anita Preston. Tragically, Cpt Preston and many of the crew members were lost on April 7, when they were flying a replacement aircraft that had just arrived from the states. Following this accident, Snooky was then flown by another crew, names unknown.


Photo courtesy of Anita Preston Schaezler

The Air Crew

The air crew for this aircraft was Crew #2414:

Cpt Clark A. Preston (A/C)*
2/Lt Donald T. Goodwin (Pilot)*
2/Lt Lloyd E. Rinne (Navigator)*
2/Lt Albert N. Hett (Bombardier)
T/Sgt Eugene M. Arms (Engineer)*
Sgt Donald J. Parker (Radio)*
Sgt Edward E. Birsner (Radarman)
Sgt William P. Ford (CFC)
Sgt Thomas F. Wipperman (R Gunner)
Sgt John A. Douglas (L. Gunner)
Sgt Marcos S. Duran (T Gunner)*

* These six crewmembers died on 7 Apr 1945 while flying a replacement aircraft. See "In Memoriam".

The Ground Crew

The Crew Chief for "Snooky" was S/Sgt Sherman E. Spraggins.