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This was a daylight tactical support mission involving 22 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:
During April, eight such tactical missions were flown with an average
attacking force of twelve B-29's. Kanoya East Airfield was hit four
times - on the 8, 17, 21 and 22 of April.
[Pirate's Log, p. 38]
According to the DFC Citation for Crew #3902:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight on 21 April 1945 from a base in the Marianas Islands. These
individuals were combat crew members on a B-29 aircraft on an important
bombing mission against Kanoya East Airfield. on the island of Kyushu,
Japan. This mission involving a 3500 mile over-water flight, was
accomplished at a time when the US Navy was undergoing serious air attacks
by the enemy who were attempting to defeat the Okinawa invasion forces.
These air attacks were staged from this airfield and others and this
bombing was intended to disrupt the enemy staging operations, and relieve
pressure on the Okinawa area. During the course of the actual attack,
members of this crew helped to repel two enemy fighter attacks, damaging
one fighter and maintained a close formation in the face of heavy and
accurate anti-aircraft fire. As a result, exceptionally bombing was
achieved, 92 percent of the bombs falling within 2000 feet of the briefed
aiming point. Due to the urgency of this attack these individuals flew
their mission with little or no sleep the preceding day. In spite of this
added factor of fatigue and long arduous flight requiring exceptional
skill, these veterans on many bombing attacks against Japan, achieved
great precision and teamwork in the performance of their assigned duties
and responsibilities and by virtue of their individual excellence,
devotion to duty and superior degree of efficiency, contributed materially
to the success of the mission and thereby reflected great credit on
themselves and the Army Air Forces.
First Lieutenant HARRY H. GEORGE as Pilot
First Lieutenant LOREN E. EARNEST as Navigator
First Lieutenant LESTER A. MOELLER as Bombardier
Technical Sergeant DENNIS MCAULIFFE as Central Fire Control Gunner
Staff Sergeant CHARLES J. GROW as Radar Operator
Staff Sergeant RUSSELL W. POLLOCK as Radio Operator
Staff Sergeant MORTON S. OLIVER (then Sergeant) as Tail Gunner
Sergeant DONALD C. GILLHAM as Right Blister Gunner
Sergeant JOHN W. COTTY as Left Blister Gunner
[Transcribed by David Wilson, son of Sgt Bernard E. Wilson (Gunner, "Anonymous IV")]
A separate DFC Citation was prepared for Captain ARTHUR M. CLAY, JR, the Aircraft Commander of Crew #3902.
According to the DFC Citation for Crew #3904:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight 21 April 1945 from their base in the Marianas Islands. These
individuals were combat crew members of a B-29 aircraft participating in a
bombing strike against Kanoya east airfield, Japan, at a time when our
invasion of nearby Okinawa was in its early stages and undergoing heavy
aerial attacks by Japanese planes staged from this airfield and others in
the vicinity. This crew, flying with the intent to disrupt these
enemy operations and relieve the pressure in the Okinawa area, joined
formation off the coast of Japan at a designated spot after having
navigated more than 1300 miles of open water. The attack proceeded, during
the course of which they helped repel two enemy fighter attacks and
maintain close formation in the face of heavy and accurate anti-aircraft
fire. By continued performance of their duties with a high degree of skill
and devotion to duty, they were able to achieve excellent bombing results,
inflicting severe damage on hangers, parking areas, runways and other
installations. Throughout the long and difficult mission, this crew, who
have completed more than twenty-nine combat sorties, worked with precision
and determination, and by their outstanding performance in bringing
destruction to the assigned target despite all obstacles, reflected great
credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.
First Lieutenant WILLIAM H. JACKSON as Pilot
First Lieutenant ANTHONY P. CIZINA as Navigator
First Lieutenant RICHARD NEVILLE as Bombardier
Master Sergeant JAMES G. GARCIA as Flight Engineer
Technical Sergeant FRANCIS E. SCOPEL as Central Fire Control Gunner
Staff Sergeant FREDERICK R. MILES as Radar Operator
Staff Sergeant JOHN P. DYKUN as Radio Operator
Staff Sergeant JOHN MUCHA as Right Blister Gunner
Staff Sergeant JOHN MELKO JR as Left Blister Gunner
Staff Sergeant EDWARD H. PENDERGAST as Tail Gunner
[Transcribed by David Wilson, son of Sgt Bernard E. Wilson (Gunner, "Anonymous IV")]
According to the DFC Citation for Crew #4011:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight on 21 April 1945. These individuals were combat crew members
of a B-29 Aircraft based in the Marianas Islands on a bombing raid against
an airfield on Kyushu, Japan. The Mission was designed to relieve the
pressure of enemy air attacks against our Naval forces off Okinawa by
knocking out the home airfields where the planes for such raids were
staged. To accomplish this objective it was necessary that each plane fly
exactly as briefed and maintain a close, well-controlled formation on the
bomb run so that maximum damage would result. Arriving at the assembly
point exactly on time, this crew flew their plane in close formation,
releasing their bombs on the briefed portion of the target. Severe damage
was inflicted to maintenance facilities as well as on planes and equipment
in the area. On the approach to and over the target, heavy, intense and
accurate flak was encountered. After leaving the target, two aggressive
attacks by enemy fighters were repelled. Despite this heavy opposition,
members of this crew performed their assigned duties with exceptional
skill and contributed materially to the outstanding success of the
mission. These individuals, who have completed over twenty-three combat
sorties, distinguished themselves in the highest traditions of the Army
Air Forces.
First Lieutenant JOHN T. KEARNEY as Pilot
Flight Officer JOSEPH F. KROGMAN as Bombardier
First Lieutenant ELMER G. WALE (then Second Lieutenant) as Flight Engineer
Captain PERCY U. TUCKER (then First Lieutenant) as Airplane Commander
Staff Sergeant JOSEPH W. RYAN (then Sergeant) as Radar Gunner
Staff Sergeant JOHN W. PIERCE as Radio Operator
Technical Sergeant EDWARD C. ROACH (then Staff Sergeant) as Central Fire
Control Gunner
Staff Sergeant ROBERT K. RYAN (then Sergeant) as Left Blister Gunner
Staff Sergeant JOSEPH MAJESKI JR (then Sergeant) as Tail Gunner
[Transcribed by David Wilson, son of Sgt Bernard E. Wilson (Gunner, "Anonymous IV")]
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