Son of Howard G. Hewitt who resided in Riceville, Iowa.
James served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-29A #42-94098, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Iowa prior to the war.
B-29A #42-94098 took off from Guam on a bombing mission to Omuta, Japan with a group of other B-29's.
After successfully completing the mission this B-29 was hit by Japanese flak over Omuta, Japan on July 27, 1945 causing one of the engines to catch fire. This B-29, shortly thereafter, exploded and broke into 3 pieces and crashed during the war.
Some of the crew were able to parachute out prior to the B-29 exploding.
James was one of the crew that was able to parachute out and became a POW of the Japanese.
On August 15, 1945, shortly after the Japanese Government's intention to surrender was announced, Japanese military personnel deliberately killed 33 American airmen at Fukuoka, Japan including fifteen who were beheaded.
James was one of the 33 airmen "Executed" in this incident while a POW of the Japanese Army during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Prisoner Of War Medal.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # O-675216
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished
in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed
while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
42-94098 19th BG. MACR 14798. Crashed in the woods, Yokoyama Village, Yame County, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- 2 KIA
- 1 killed by villagers when he landed and resisted them.
- Remaining 8 moved to Seibu Army Headquarters and later all executed.
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA BIRTH 9 feb 1922 DEATH 27 Jul 1945 Mem ID 56115791
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Contributor: DLangfor (47327827)
James served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-29A #42-94098, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Iowa prior to the war.
B-29A #42-94098 took off from Guam on a bombing mission to Omuta, Japan with a group of other B-29's.
After successfully completing the mission this B-29 was hit by Japanese flak over Omuta, Japan on July 27, 1945 causing one of the engines to catch fire. This B-29, shortly thereafter, exploded and broke into 3 pieces and crashed during the war.
Some of the crew were able to parachute out prior to the B-29 exploding.
James was one of the crew that was able to parachute out and became a POW of the Japanese.
On August 15, 1945, shortly after the Japanese Government's intention to surrender was announced, Japanese military personnel deliberately killed 33 American airmen at Fukuoka, Japan including fifteen who were beheaded.
James was one of the 33 airmen "Executed" in this incident while a POW of the Japanese Army during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Prisoner Of War Medal.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # O-675216
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished
in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed
while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
42-94098 19th BG. MACR 14798. Crashed in the woods, Yokoyama Village, Yame County, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- 2 KIA
- 1 killed by villagers when he landed and resisted them.
- Remaining 8 moved to Seibu Army Headquarters and later all executed.
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA BIRTH 9 feb 1922 DEATH 27 Jul 1945 Mem ID 56115791
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Contributor: DLangfor (47327827)
Son of Howard G. Hewitt who resided in Riceville, Iowa.
James served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-29A #42-94098, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Iowa prior to the war.
B-29A #42-94098 took off from Guam on a bombing mission to Omuta, Japan with a group of other B-29's.
After successfully completing the mission this B-29 was hit by Japanese flak over Omuta, Japan on July 27, 1945 causing one of the engines to catch fire. This B-29, shortly thereafter, exploded and broke into 3 pieces and crashed during the war.
Some of the crew were able to parachute out prior to the B-29 exploding.
James was one of the crew that was able to parachute out and became a POW of the Japanese.
On August 15, 1945, shortly after the Japanese Government's intention to surrender was announced, Japanese military personnel deliberately killed 33 American airmen at Fukuoka, Japan including fifteen who were beheaded.
James was one of the 33 airmen "Executed" in this incident while a POW of the Japanese Army during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Prisoner Of War Medal.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # O-675216
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished
in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed
while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
42-94098 19th BG. MACR 14798. Crashed in the woods, Yokoyama Village, Yame County, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- 2 KIA
- 1 killed by villagers when he landed and resisted them.
- Remaining 8 moved to Seibu Army Headquarters and later all executed.
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA BIRTH 9 feb 1922 DEATH 27 Jul 1945 Mem ID 56115791
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Contributor: DLangfor (47327827)
James served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-29A #42-94098, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Iowa prior to the war.
B-29A #42-94098 took off from Guam on a bombing mission to Omuta, Japan with a group of other B-29's.
After successfully completing the mission this B-29 was hit by Japanese flak over Omuta, Japan on July 27, 1945 causing one of the engines to catch fire. This B-29, shortly thereafter, exploded and broke into 3 pieces and crashed during the war.
Some of the crew were able to parachute out prior to the B-29 exploding.
James was one of the crew that was able to parachute out and became a POW of the Japanese.
On August 15, 1945, shortly after the Japanese Government's intention to surrender was announced, Japanese military personnel deliberately killed 33 American airmen at Fukuoka, Japan including fifteen who were beheaded.
James was one of the 33 airmen "Executed" in this incident while a POW of the Japanese Army during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and Prisoner Of War Medal.
His remains were not recovered.
Service # O-675216
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished
in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed
while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Bio & Crew Report by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
42-94098 19th BG. MACR 14798. Crashed in the woods, Yokoyama Village, Yame County, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- 2 KIA
- 1 killed by villagers when he landed and resisted them.
- Remaining 8 moved to Seibu Army Headquarters and later all executed.
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who perished in the crash on July 27, 1945:
Andrews, William N ~ T/Sgt, UT
Boleyn, Gerald E ~ FO, Co-Pilot, IA BIRTH 9 feb 1922 DEATH 27 Jul 1945 Mem ID 56115791
Gothie, John W ~ 1st Lt, PA
O'Brien, Martin W, Jr ~ Cpl, Gunner, CT
Sawdye, Robert R ~ Cpl, Gunner, NY
Whitely, Wayne A ~ 2nd Lt, ID
Zancker, Robert J ~ Cpl, WA
Airmen on B-29A #42-94098 who were executed while POW's on August 15, 1945:
Appleby, Charles S ~ FO, IA
Hewitt, James E ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Nelson, Louis W ~ Capt, MN
Stearns, Frederick A ~ Cpl, Gunner, NH
Thornton, Ben ~ S/Sgt, OK
Contributor: DLangfor (47327827)
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