Enlisted in the Army, 30 Dec 1940, MacDill Field, FL
Capt. Carmel McClelan Slaughter and his crew aboard a B-29 from the 505th Bomb Group, 42-24784 "92 Naval Const. Batt" aka "Slicks Chick" was rammed in mid-air by a Japanese fighter plane, which caused Capt. Slaughter's B-29 to collide with another B-29, piloted by 1Lt. Owen Barnhart, Jr., 42-24815 "121 Sea Bees", aka "Dreaner Boy", thereby causing both planes to crash.
The crash site wreckage burned for three days. All servicemen perished.
ORA, Japan — Many Japanese would prefer not to dredge up the painful history of World War II, especially the American bombers that rained fear and destruction from above. But a small rural community is not only dredging up those memories, it is honoring the crews of two B-29s that crashed here.
“Once we were enemies and now we are friends,” Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Allen told a somber ceremony Wednesday at the Seiganji temple, during which a stone cenotaph engraved with the names of the 23 men of “Slick’s Chicks” and “Deamer Boy” was unveiled.
The B-29s were part of a massive U.S. air raid that crippled a Nakajima Aircraft Co. factory in nearby Ota on Feb. 10, 1945. The planes were bounced by Japanese fighters shortly after the raid, causing them to collide in mid-air and plummet to the ground in heaps of fiery, twisted metal.
The crews remains were cremated by the Japanese and held in the now-abandoned temple near the crash site until after WWII, when they were exhumed and returned to the U.S.
By Charlie Reed
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 25, 2013
On Feb. 10, 1945, two aircraft collided over the Nakajima Aircraft Factory.
The crewmembers were from the B-29 Deamer Boy and Slick’s Chicks.
Those honored at the ceremony and who never had the chance to return to Tinian where their group was based were C McC (Carmel McClellan) Slaughter Jr., pilot; Dam E. Godsy, copilot; Joseph F. Jarosz, navigator; Kenneth E. Swanson, bombardier; Herbert Weiner, engineer; Nick Corbo radio operator; Kenneth F. Mago, radar operator; Robert K. Yonce, CFC; James E. Melvin, left gunner; Ralph J. McClellan, right gunner; Frank R. Kastenmeier, tail gunner; and Birrel Walsh, observer.
The crewmembers of the B-29 “Deaner Boy” were Owen O. Barnhart Jr., pilot; Donald M. Morrison, copilot; Cornelius R. Kerns, nagivator; Hugh D. Burner, bombardier; Harley H. Hazelwood, engineer; Norman E. Smith, radio operator; James F. Greup, radar operator; George B. Wilbur III, CFC; Harry J. Harz Jr., left gunner; Donald A.W. Kissinger, right gunner; and Harvey J. Fitzpatrick, tail gunner.
The memorial unveiled on March 20 carried a message of peace: “We wish to commemorate the 23 brave souls and offer a wish for world peace and friendship between Japan and America.”
Funeral services for 23 US airmen killed in action over Ota, Japan, on Feb. 10, 1945, will be held at Arlington National cemetery in Washington Fe. 10, 1949. It will be a group burial for 23 crewman of two B-29s which were shot down during the encounter, crew from Slick's Chicks and Dreaner Boy.
All 23 cremated remains were in a Flag draped, solitary casket. (Newspaper article)
Additional info supplied by Findagrave member SigEp Patriots Project:
Two years prior to joining the Army Air Corps, Carmel attended the University of Florida where he was a brother of the Florida Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Capt. Carmel McClelan Slaughter and his crew aboard a B-29 from the 505th Bomb Group, 42-24784 "92 Naval Const. Batt" aka "Slicks Chick" was rammed in mid-air by a Japanese fighter plane, which caused Capt. Slaughter's B-29 to collide with another B-29, piloted by 1Lt. Owen Barnhart, Jr., 42-24815 "121 Sea Bees", aka "Dreaner Boy", thereby causing both planes to crash.
The crash site wreckage burned for three days. All servicemen perished.
ORA, Japan — Many Japanese would prefer not to dredge up the painful history of World War II, especially the American bombers that rained fear and destruction from above. But a small rural community is not only dredging up those memories, it is honoring the crews of two B-29s that crashed here.
“Once we were enemies and now we are friends,” Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Allen told a somber ceremony Wednesday at the Seiganji temple, during which a stone cenotaph engraved with the names of the 23 men of “Slick’s Chicks” and “Deamer Boy” was unveiled.
The B-29s were part of a massive U.S. air raid that crippled a Nakajima Aircraft Co. factory in nearby Ota on Feb. 10, 1945. The planes were bounced by Japanese fighters shortly after the raid, causing them to collide in mid-air and plummet to the ground in heaps of fiery, twisted metal.
The crews remains were cremated by the Japanese and held in the now-abandoned temple near the crash site until after WWII, when they were exhumed and returned to the U.S.
By Charlie Reed
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 25, 2013
On Feb. 10, 1945, two aircraft collided over the Nakajima Aircraft Factory.
The crewmembers were from the B-29 Deamer Boy and Slick’s Chicks.
Those honored at the ceremony and who never had the chance to return to Tinian where their group was based were C McC (Carmel McClellan) Slaughter Jr., pilot; Dam E. Godsy, copilot; Joseph F. Jarosz, navigator; Kenneth E. Swanson, bombardier; Herbert Weiner, engineer; Nick Corbo radio operator; Kenneth F. Mago, radar operator; Robert K. Yonce, CFC; James E. Melvin, left gunner; Ralph J. McClellan, right gunner; Frank R. Kastenmeier, tail gunner; and Birrel Walsh, observer.
The crewmembers of the B-29 “Deaner Boy” were Owen O. Barnhart Jr., pilot; Donald M. Morrison, copilot; Cornelius R. Kerns, nagivator; Hugh D. Burner, bombardier; Harley H. Hazelwood, engineer; Norman E. Smith, radio operator; James F. Greup, radar operator; George B. Wilbur III, CFC; Harry J. Harz Jr., left gunner; Donald A.W. Kissinger, right gunner; and Harvey J. Fitzpatrick, tail gunner.
The memorial unveiled on March 20 carried a message of peace: “We wish to commemorate the 23 brave souls and offer a wish for world peace and friendship between Japan and America.”
Funeral services for 23 US airmen killed in action over Ota, Japan, on Feb. 10, 1945, will be held at Arlington National cemetery in Washington Fe. 10, 1949. It will be a group burial for 23 crewman of two B-29s which were shot down during the encounter, crew from Slick's Chicks and Dreaner Boy.
All 23 cremated remains were in a Flag draped, solitary casket. (Newspaper article)
Additional info supplied by Findagrave member SigEp Patriots Project:
Two years prior to joining the Army Air Corps, Carmel attended the University of Florida where he was a brother of the Florida Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Enlisted in the Army, 30 Dec 1940, MacDill Field, FL
Capt. Carmel McClelan Slaughter and his crew aboard a B-29 from the 505th Bomb Group, 42-24784 "92 Naval Const. Batt" aka "Slicks Chick" was rammed in mid-air by a Japanese fighter plane, which caused Capt. Slaughter's B-29 to collide with another B-29, piloted by 1Lt. Owen Barnhart, Jr., 42-24815 "121 Sea Bees", aka "Dreaner Boy", thereby causing both planes to crash.
The crash site wreckage burned for three days. All servicemen perished.
ORA, Japan — Many Japanese would prefer not to dredge up the painful history of World War II, especially the American bombers that rained fear and destruction from above. But a small rural community is not only dredging up those memories, it is honoring the crews of two B-29s that crashed here.
“Once we were enemies and now we are friends,” Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Allen told a somber ceremony Wednesday at the Seiganji temple, during which a stone cenotaph engraved with the names of the 23 men of “Slick’s Chicks” and “Deamer Boy” was unveiled.
The B-29s were part of a massive U.S. air raid that crippled a Nakajima Aircraft Co. factory in nearby Ota on Feb. 10, 1945. The planes were bounced by Japanese fighters shortly after the raid, causing them to collide in mid-air and plummet to the ground in heaps of fiery, twisted metal.
The crews remains were cremated by the Japanese and held in the now-abandoned temple near the crash site until after WWII, when they were exhumed and returned to the U.S.
By Charlie Reed
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 25, 2013
On Feb. 10, 1945, two aircraft collided over the Nakajima Aircraft Factory.
The crewmembers were from the B-29 Deamer Boy and Slick’s Chicks.
Those honored at the ceremony and who never had the chance to return to Tinian where their group was based were C McC (Carmel McClellan) Slaughter Jr., pilot; Dam E. Godsy, copilot; Joseph F. Jarosz, navigator; Kenneth E. Swanson, bombardier; Herbert Weiner, engineer; Nick Corbo radio operator; Kenneth F. Mago, radar operator; Robert K. Yonce, CFC; James E. Melvin, left gunner; Ralph J. McClellan, right gunner; Frank R. Kastenmeier, tail gunner; and Birrel Walsh, observer.
The crewmembers of the B-29 “Deaner Boy” were Owen O. Barnhart Jr., pilot; Donald M. Morrison, copilot; Cornelius R. Kerns, nagivator; Hugh D. Burner, bombardier; Harley H. Hazelwood, engineer; Norman E. Smith, radio operator; James F. Greup, radar operator; George B. Wilbur III, CFC; Harry J. Harz Jr., left gunner; Donald A.W. Kissinger, right gunner; and Harvey J. Fitzpatrick, tail gunner.
The memorial unveiled on March 20 carried a message of peace: “We wish to commemorate the 23 brave souls and offer a wish for world peace and friendship between Japan and America.”
Funeral services for 23 US airmen killed in action over Ota, Japan, on Feb. 10, 1945, will be held at Arlington National cemetery in Washington Fe. 10, 1949. It will be a group burial for 23 crewman of two B-29s which were shot down during the encounter, crew from Slick's Chicks and Dreaner Boy.
All 23 cremated remains were in a Flag draped, solitary casket. (Newspaper article)
Additional info supplied by Findagrave member SigEp Patriots Project:
Two years prior to joining the Army Air Corps, Carmel attended the University of Florida where he was a brother of the Florida Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Capt. Carmel McClelan Slaughter and his crew aboard a B-29 from the 505th Bomb Group, 42-24784 "92 Naval Const. Batt" aka "Slicks Chick" was rammed in mid-air by a Japanese fighter plane, which caused Capt. Slaughter's B-29 to collide with another B-29, piloted by 1Lt. Owen Barnhart, Jr., 42-24815 "121 Sea Bees", aka "Dreaner Boy", thereby causing both planes to crash.
The crash site wreckage burned for three days. All servicemen perished.
ORA, Japan — Many Japanese would prefer not to dredge up the painful history of World War II, especially the American bombers that rained fear and destruction from above. But a small rural community is not only dredging up those memories, it is honoring the crews of two B-29s that crashed here.
“Once we were enemies and now we are friends,” Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Allen told a somber ceremony Wednesday at the Seiganji temple, during which a stone cenotaph engraved with the names of the 23 men of “Slick’s Chicks” and “Deamer Boy” was unveiled.
The B-29s were part of a massive U.S. air raid that crippled a Nakajima Aircraft Co. factory in nearby Ota on Feb. 10, 1945. The planes were bounced by Japanese fighters shortly after the raid, causing them to collide in mid-air and plummet to the ground in heaps of fiery, twisted metal.
The crews remains were cremated by the Japanese and held in the now-abandoned temple near the crash site until after WWII, when they were exhumed and returned to the U.S.
By Charlie Reed
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 25, 2013
On Feb. 10, 1945, two aircraft collided over the Nakajima Aircraft Factory.
The crewmembers were from the B-29 Deamer Boy and Slick’s Chicks.
Those honored at the ceremony and who never had the chance to return to Tinian where their group was based were C McC (Carmel McClellan) Slaughter Jr., pilot; Dam E. Godsy, copilot; Joseph F. Jarosz, navigator; Kenneth E. Swanson, bombardier; Herbert Weiner, engineer; Nick Corbo radio operator; Kenneth F. Mago, radar operator; Robert K. Yonce, CFC; James E. Melvin, left gunner; Ralph J. McClellan, right gunner; Frank R. Kastenmeier, tail gunner; and Birrel Walsh, observer.
The crewmembers of the B-29 “Deaner Boy” were Owen O. Barnhart Jr., pilot; Donald M. Morrison, copilot; Cornelius R. Kerns, nagivator; Hugh D. Burner, bombardier; Harley H. Hazelwood, engineer; Norman E. Smith, radio operator; James F. Greup, radar operator; George B. Wilbur III, CFC; Harry J. Harz Jr., left gunner; Donald A.W. Kissinger, right gunner; and Harvey J. Fitzpatrick, tail gunner.
The memorial unveiled on March 20 carried a message of peace: “We wish to commemorate the 23 brave souls and offer a wish for world peace and friendship between Japan and America.”
Funeral services for 23 US airmen killed in action over Ota, Japan, on Feb. 10, 1945, will be held at Arlington National cemetery in Washington Fe. 10, 1949. It will be a group burial for 23 crewman of two B-29s which were shot down during the encounter, crew from Slick's Chicks and Dreaner Boy.
All 23 cremated remains were in a Flag draped, solitary casket. (Newspaper article)
Additional info supplied by Findagrave member SigEp Patriots Project:
Two years prior to joining the Army Air Corps, Carmel attended the University of Florida where he was a brother of the Florida Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
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