Casseday

S/Sgt Robert Casseday







Robert Casseday in 1945 upon discharge from the Army Air Corp after returning to Walla Walla, Washington.




Half A World Apart

I worked on the Walla Walla, Washington police force from Aug 1939 to July 1942 when I went into the service. It was some time in the spring of 1942, probably about May, I was driving a police patrol car and was called on the radio to escort two army ambulances from the Walla Walla Air Base to an automobile accident out of the city limits.

When we arrived, there were two soldiers and two civilians in the accident. There were put in the ambulance and I escorted them to the Veterans Hospital which was some 10 miles closer. The doctors had been notified and were waiting for us. Upon our arrival one of the soldiers was prononuncd dead. While the doctors were working on the civilian he died. The other civilian and soldier lived. The civilian that was driving the car was the one that died. His name was Gus Weber. Gus was a friend of mine and about my age. I knew Webers father, mother, sister and knew of a younger brother.

In Harrington, Kansas, Nov.44, we picked up our new B-29. I noticed a young 2nd Lt. with the name William Weber on his flight jacket. I asked him if he was from Walla Walla, and he said he was. I told him I knew his family and he informed me his older brother, Gus had been killed in an auto accident. I told him I was there when he died.

On March 25,45 we were on the Negoya raid and I saw a plane in another formation go down. No survivors. I learned the next day that it was "The Life of Riley", Major Riley's plane that had went down. The co-pilot on the plane was William Weber from Walla Walla. I was in the presence of 2 brothers that were killed a half a world apart.

Post Script: In 1997, I attented the 509th composit B.G.reunion in Dayton, Ohio.

One evening while having some refreshments in the hospitality room, I was talking to some people and they asked me where I was from when I enlisted into the service. I replayed that I was living in Walla Walla, Washington at that time.

A lady over heard me say that I was from Walla Walla, and she came over to talk to me.

She asked me if I knew a Bill Weber from Walla Walla, Washington. I said, Sit down and I will tell you a story. I procceded to tell her the story "Half A World Apart". The ladies name is Ruby McKnight. Mrs McKnight procced to tell me that she and her husband, Charles McKnight, were best friends to Pat and Bill Weber.

Lt.Bill Weber was in the 398th Sqdn. of the 504th B.G. Capt. Charles McKnight was in the 393rd Sqdn. of the 504th B.G.

When the 393rd Sqdn.was moved to Windover Field, Utah to form the 509th composit B.G. ( the group that droped the Atom Bomb),the Webers, and McKnight's lost track of each other. Ruby reiterated that she would like to locate Pat if at all possible.

After I returned from the reunion, I contacted some friends in Walla Walla, Washington that might know the where abouts of Pat Weber. I lucked out and got her address and phone number.She had remarried and her name Is Pat Lane.

I called Pat and told her how I had meet Ruby McKnight, and gave Pat, Ruby's phone number and address.

A few monumets later I called Ruby, and she said "Just a minute Bob, I'm talking to Pat now". So I hung up and them continue with their visit.

I recieved a beautiful thank you card from Ruby. Ruby said, that she and Pat had a lot of catching up to do after 52 yrs of seperation.

Capt. McKnight, was the AC on the B-29 ( Top Secret) in the 509th composit B.G.




Sole Survivor

In the early part of January, 1945, five or six B-29's went on a practice bombing mission. I always thought it was Rota, but is may have been Guguam, It was a routine practice mission to give the radar operators experience and to sharpen their skills. We made several runs dropping one bomb at a time.

We were one of the lead B-29's and were headed back to the base on Tinnian when our radio operator picked up a "Mayday" from one of the B-29's.

Some time after we were back at our Quonset hut, we heard that a B-29 had gone down. I guess they had an engine fire and were unable to extinguish it, not having a chance to ditch, the whole crew bailed out.

A search mission was set up and a search went on for four days. On the afternoon of the fourth day or AC, Capt. Hale, came to our Quonset hut and said that the search was called off, but anyone that wanted to volunteer could do so. The whole crew volunteered for the search.

Jack Cook, our radar operator and I made up an emergency supply bag in case we found any survivors. The bag was light canvas, rubber coated and about the size of a barracks bag. We got a Gibson Girl (hand operated radio) lots of fresh water in tins, canned food, and sea marker dye, inflated two May Wests for flotation and put them all in the bag. We also attached a parachute to the bag. We tied a rope to the handle of the parachute so it would open when we threw it out of the plane.

Early the next morning we took off for an area that was designated for the search. We searched for five or six hours, flying at an altitude of 500 feet and as slow as we could, with out any success. It was very difficult looking out the blister without taking your eyes off the water.

Our left blister gunner and our C.F.C. gunner had changed positions to give each other a rest. I think it was about two in the afternoon and Robards was at the left blister position when he said he thought he saw something. I asked him what he saw and he said he wasn't sure. I told him to call on the intercom and let the AC know. Robards and Capt. Hale talked back and forth and Robards was not sure if he had seen anything that looked like a dinghy. The next thing I heard was our bombardier, Dick Hays, say "Lets turn this damn plane around and take another look."

We turned back on a receptacle course and searched the area for half an hour before I spotted the one man dinghy. We circled trying to keep the dinghy in sight. Jack Cook, our radar man, and I threw out our supply bag with the parachute and it landed about fifteen yards from the dinghy. We saw the person paddle to the supply unit and grab the chute. In less than two minutes we could not see the dinghy because a squall line had swept over him.

Berman, our radio operator, radioed his position. The Dumbos were unable to locate him due to the rain storm. The person in the dinghy was able to eat and get his Gibson Girl operating. After day light a sub came and proceeded to make the rescue.

I talked with the party at the base hospital and later at his tent and he told me that he never did see any of his crewmen. He said that he saw many planes the first two days of the search, but they were to far away to see him. I knew this person but have forgotten his name. We were aviation students in the same W.T.S. program at Brooks Field, Texas, in 1943-44. I believe this person was from the 505th B.G.

We were able to rescue the person by a mere two minutes. "HIS LUCKY DAY!"

Bob Casseday

Post Script: I have since found out the person rescued was a tail gunner on Capt. Weirs crew from the 483rd Squadron in the 505th B.G. His name is E.L. Davidson.

The Squadron C.O., Major Ferguson was also lost on this mission. Persons from the 505th B.G. have tried to locate Davidson since the early 90's, but have been unsuccessful.






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