Our veterans all answered our nations call
When our freedoms were put on the line,
They faltered not, but gave their all
From Omaha beach to the Rhine.
At Faid Pass and Corregidor
The odds proved to be too great,
The word surrender, a word we abhor,
So "Prisoner of War" was their fate.
They fought in the air, they fought on the ground,
They fought on the seas and below,
They battled at Midway and the Japs they did pound,
And our confidence was starting to grow.
At Sicily, Anzio, Salerno and Rome
They fought the cold, mud and rain,
At Cherbourgh they fought and thought about home,
Then blasted their way to the Seine.
At Tinian, Raboul and Guadalcanal
They mastered the mud and the heat,
At Kiska and Attu, more cold and fog,
They simply would not be beat.
When the last shots were fired, the white flags were flown,
And the last bomber called "Bombs Away",
They loaded the troupe ships and headed for home,
For that's where they wanted to stay.
We honor them now, as we do on these days
For answering the call to defend,
We honor the dead and the M.I.A.s,
Who gave their lives in the end.
Of the 20th Air Force's 494 plus B-29's shot down in combat with more than 5,000 crewmen aboard, less than 200 crewmen survived the war. Japanese civilians killed most of the crewmen who bailed out before Japanese authorities could rescue them. Countless other "Special Prisoners" were either massacred or executed while in custody of the Japanese military, mainly the Kempei Tai Secret Police who had prime respoinsibility for guarding the B-29 "Special Prisoners." Of all the 504th crewmen shot down, there were only 18 known survivors of Japanese POW captivity.
The 504th lost 26 aircraft in combat operations. These aircraft carried over 260 crew members. Only 18 crew members captured by the Japanese were liberated after VJ day.
Only 2 504th Ground Crew members are known to have been killed during line of duty tasks: March 9,1945, Corp. John F. Graney was killed while loading bombs. Feb 8,1945, Corp. Earl F. Vondenbenken was killed by the accidental discharge of a 50 caliber machine gun.
1/Lt.Barlow & Crew KIA April 15,1945 Kawasaki & So Tokyo
1/Lt.Bonner & 4 crew KIA July 28,1945, Mine Fields-Korea Mike & Charlie
1/Lt.Brown & 8 crew KIA 2 POW March27,1945 Shimonoseki Strait
1/Lt.Bugge & Crew KIA June 22,1945 Kagamigahara
Capt.Collier & 5 Crew KIA 6 rescued June 7,1945 Nagoya/Aichi Aircraft Plant
2/Lt.Colquitt & Crew KIA April 24,1945 Tachikawa/Haitichi Aircraft Plant
Capt.Cornewll & Crew KIA May 29,1945 Yokohama
Capt.Crowe & 4 Crew KIA 7 rescued June 26,1945 Nagoya/Eitoka Aichi Aircraft Plant
Capt.Edgerton & Crew KIA May 26,1945 Tokyo
Maj.Dwyer & Crew KIA February 26,1945 crashed on Tinian landing approch
Capt Gist & Crew KIA February 10,1945 Ota/Nakajima Engine Factory
1/Lt.Gran & 7 Crew KIA 3 POW'S May 24,1945, Tokoyo
1/Lt.Hitt & 6 Crew KIA 2 rescued 3 POW's May 26,1945 Tokyo
Capt.Pitts 4 Crew KIA 7 rescued June 26,1945 Nagoya/Eitoka Aichi Aircraft company
1/Lt.Proctor & Crew KIA February 15,1945 Nogoya/Mitsubishi Engine Plant
Lt/Col.Riley & Crew KIA March 25,1945 Nogoya/Mitsubishi Engine Plant
Maj.Shaffer & Crew KIA March 16,1945 Blitz-Kobe
1/Lt.Shumway 5 Crew KIA 6 rescued July 28,1945 Mine Fields-Mike,Uncle, Zebra, X-Ray
I would also like to take this time to acknowledge those of the 504th that have passed on since the ending of the war. You are not forgotten and are greatly missed by "All".
The Plaque is at the Air Force Academy in Colorodo Springs, Colordo
| Wife |
Miss SuSu |
Nose Art |
Home Page |
Demise of Miss SuSu | Ground Crew |
Casseday |
Stories |
Jack Cook |
POW |