JAPAN: (Mission 183) During the night of 25-26 May, 464 B-29's dispatched from the XXI BC attack Tokyo urban areas immediately south of the Imperial Palace and just north of that bombed on 23-24 May with 3262 tons of incendiary bombs which destroyed financial, commercial and governmental districts as well as factories and homes; six B-29's attack other targets. Twenty-six B-29's are lost (the largest loss of B-29's and crews in a single day).
42-65269 40th BG SQDN 44 - MACR 14508, #17, Maj Ronald A Harte's Crew Pathfinder on fire raid hit by flak, 10 MIA, 1 POW Lost on May25/26 Tokyo Japan.
This account by Dale Johnson tells us of the fate of their crew and plane on this mission. Dale was the only member of the B-29 crew to survive.
"On the mission of the 25 May, 1945, everything was going fine 'til we got near Tokyo where we made our turn toward the target. Our altitude was pretty low, we all thought. The searchlights started to pick us up. We could have read a newspaper in the gunners compartment. We had dropped our bombs before we were hit. I think we were hit by anti-aircraft. There was no communication from any crew members after we were hit. The plane had a big hole near my position (Right Gunner), and I felt it was falling so I rolled out the hole, waited a few seconds and pulled the rip cord on my chute. That was the last I saw of any members of my crew. I landed on the edge of a bay or lake."
42-65269 40th BG SQDN 44 - MACR 14508, #17, Maj Ronald A Harte's Crew Pathfinder on fire raid hit by flak, 10 MIA, 1 POW Lost on May25/26 Tokyo Japan.
This account by Dale Johnson tells us of the fate of their crew and plane on this mission. Dale was the only member of the B-29 crew to survive.
"On the mission of the 25 May, 1945, everything was going fine 'til we got near Tokyo where we made our turn toward the target. Our altitude was pretty low, we all thought. The searchlights started to pick us up. We could have read a newspaper in the gunners compartment. We had dropped our bombs before we were hit. I think we were hit by anti-aircraft. There was no communication from any crew members after we were hit. The plane had a big hole near my position (Right Gunner), and I felt it was falling so I rolled out the hole, waited a few seconds and pulled the rip cord on my chute. That was the last I saw of any members of my crew. I landed on the edge of a bay or lake."
JAPAN: (Mission 183) During the night of 25-26 May, 464 B-29's dispatched from the XXI BC attack Tokyo urban areas immediately south of the Imperial Palace and just north of that bombed on 23-24 May with 3262 tons of incendiary bombs which destroyed financial, commercial and governmental districts as well as factories and homes; six B-29's attack other targets. Twenty-six B-29's are lost (the largest loss of B-29's and crews in a single day).
42-65269 40th BG SQDN 44 - MACR 14508, #17, Maj Ronald A Harte's Crew Pathfinder on fire raid hit by flak, 10 MIA, 1 POW Lost on May25/26 Tokyo Japan.
This account by Dale Johnson tells us of the fate of their crew and plane on this mission. Dale was the only member of the B-29 crew to survive.
"On the mission of the 25 May, 1945, everything was going fine 'til we got near Tokyo where we made our turn toward the target. Our altitude was pretty low, we all thought. The searchlights started to pick us up. We could have read a newspaper in the gunners compartment. We had dropped our bombs before we were hit. I think we were hit by anti-aircraft. There was no communication from any crew members after we were hit. The plane had a big hole near my position (Right Gunner), and I felt it was falling so I rolled out the hole, waited a few seconds and pulled the rip cord on my chute. That was the last I saw of any members of my crew. I landed on the edge of a bay or lake."
42-65269 40th BG SQDN 44 - MACR 14508, #17, Maj Ronald A Harte's Crew Pathfinder on fire raid hit by flak, 10 MIA, 1 POW Lost on May25/26 Tokyo Japan.
This account by Dale Johnson tells us of the fate of their crew and plane on this mission. Dale was the only member of the B-29 crew to survive.
"On the mission of the 25 May, 1945, everything was going fine 'til we got near Tokyo where we made our turn toward the target. Our altitude was pretty low, we all thought. The searchlights started to pick us up. We could have read a newspaper in the gunners compartment. We had dropped our bombs before we were hit. I think we were hit by anti-aircraft. There was no communication from any crew members after we were hit. The plane had a big hole near my position (Right Gunner), and I felt it was falling so I rolled out the hole, waited a few seconds and pulled the rip cord on my chute. That was the last I saw of any members of my crew. I landed on the edge of a bay or lake."
Inscription
SSGT 40 BOMB SQ 44 BOMB GP (VH) TEXAS
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Texas.
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