Born to Cleveland 'Cleve' Arthur Baker and Ocie Inez Peters-Baker; six siblings: Lovina, Fay, Ilene, Hena, Glen, and Virginia.
395th Bomber Squadron 40th Bomber
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal
On 5 June 1944, B -29 serial 42-6282, Capt John E. Sanders, Airplane Commander, proceeded on a combat mission to Bangkok, Siam in formation, beyond the point of no return using wing tanks only, without testing the operation of the fuel transfer system. The pump had been tested on the ground prior to the mission, and its previous excellent air operation was taken for granted.
Due to the tail heavy condition of the airplane, the pilot did not desire any gasoline transferred before bombs were dropped. When the fuel transfer system was tried, it failed to function and course was altered to nearest field, Cox's Bazaar, India. Upon arrival there, the Navigator was uncertain of his position and believed it was a Japanese Base. Rather than risk delivering a new B -29 airplane to the Japanese at their field, the Pilot decided to continue to Chittagong.
About fourteen (14) miles short of the field at Chittagong, India, the Pilot was forced to land the airplane in the water about 1½ miles off-shore. The airplane was landed excellently in smooth water and began to fill with water immediately in both pressurized compartments. All crew members escaped from the forward compartment after pulling life rafts release handles. No crew member escaped from the rear compartment without aid from outside by crew members from the front compartment. Four (4) crew members were never seen after ditching began and were either injured in the landing and drowned, or were unable to escape from the plane and were drowned. Although the life raft doors were released, the rafts did not emerge from their compartments.
40th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command
395th Bomber Squadron 40th Bomber
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal
On 5 June 1944, B -29 serial 42-6282, Capt John E. Sanders, Airplane Commander, proceeded on a combat mission to Bangkok, Siam in formation, beyond the point of no return using wing tanks only, without testing the operation of the fuel transfer system. The pump had been tested on the ground prior to the mission, and its previous excellent air operation was taken for granted.
Due to the tail heavy condition of the airplane, the pilot did not desire any gasoline transferred before bombs were dropped. When the fuel transfer system was tried, it failed to function and course was altered to nearest field, Cox's Bazaar, India. Upon arrival there, the Navigator was uncertain of his position and believed it was a Japanese Base. Rather than risk delivering a new B -29 airplane to the Japanese at their field, the Pilot decided to continue to Chittagong.
About fourteen (14) miles short of the field at Chittagong, India, the Pilot was forced to land the airplane in the water about 1½ miles off-shore. The airplane was landed excellently in smooth water and began to fill with water immediately in both pressurized compartments. All crew members escaped from the forward compartment after pulling life rafts release handles. No crew member escaped from the rear compartment without aid from outside by crew members from the front compartment. Four (4) crew members were never seen after ditching began and were either injured in the landing and drowned, or were unable to escape from the plane and were drowned. Although the life raft doors were released, the rafts did not emerge from their compartments.
40th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command
Born to Cleveland 'Cleve' Arthur Baker and Ocie Inez Peters-Baker; six siblings: Lovina, Fay, Ilene, Hena, Glen, and Virginia.
395th Bomber Squadron 40th Bomber
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal
On 5 June 1944, B -29 serial 42-6282, Capt John E. Sanders, Airplane Commander, proceeded on a combat mission to Bangkok, Siam in formation, beyond the point of no return using wing tanks only, without testing the operation of the fuel transfer system. The pump had been tested on the ground prior to the mission, and its previous excellent air operation was taken for granted.
Due to the tail heavy condition of the airplane, the pilot did not desire any gasoline transferred before bombs were dropped. When the fuel transfer system was tried, it failed to function and course was altered to nearest field, Cox's Bazaar, India. Upon arrival there, the Navigator was uncertain of his position and believed it was a Japanese Base. Rather than risk delivering a new B -29 airplane to the Japanese at their field, the Pilot decided to continue to Chittagong.
About fourteen (14) miles short of the field at Chittagong, India, the Pilot was forced to land the airplane in the water about 1½ miles off-shore. The airplane was landed excellently in smooth water and began to fill with water immediately in both pressurized compartments. All crew members escaped from the forward compartment after pulling life rafts release handles. No crew member escaped from the rear compartment without aid from outside by crew members from the front compartment. Four (4) crew members were never seen after ditching began and were either injured in the landing and drowned, or were unable to escape from the plane and were drowned. Although the life raft doors were released, the rafts did not emerge from their compartments.
40th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command
395th Bomber Squadron 40th Bomber
U.S. Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal
On 5 June 1944, B -29 serial 42-6282, Capt John E. Sanders, Airplane Commander, proceeded on a combat mission to Bangkok, Siam in formation, beyond the point of no return using wing tanks only, without testing the operation of the fuel transfer system. The pump had been tested on the ground prior to the mission, and its previous excellent air operation was taken for granted.
Due to the tail heavy condition of the airplane, the pilot did not desire any gasoline transferred before bombs were dropped. When the fuel transfer system was tried, it failed to function and course was altered to nearest field, Cox's Bazaar, India. Upon arrival there, the Navigator was uncertain of his position and believed it was a Japanese Base. Rather than risk delivering a new B -29 airplane to the Japanese at their field, the Pilot decided to continue to Chittagong.
About fourteen (14) miles short of the field at Chittagong, India, the Pilot was forced to land the airplane in the water about 1½ miles off-shore. The airplane was landed excellently in smooth water and began to fill with water immediately in both pressurized compartments. All crew members escaped from the forward compartment after pulling life rafts release handles. No crew member escaped from the rear compartment without aid from outside by crew members from the front compartment. Four (4) crew members were never seen after ditching began and were either injured in the landing and drowned, or were unable to escape from the plane and were drowned. Although the life raft doors were released, the rafts did not emerge from their compartments.
40th Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Missouri.
Family Members
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