by Milt Martin
Wednesday November 09 2005
My father worked at Boeing Wichita from 1943 through 1945. He helped build the first B-29's produced in the Plant II facility which was constructed for that very purpose.

By Tech Sergeant Anthony Ventura (retired)
Last revised: 31 May 1998
Blinding searchlights wavered through the skies of Japan that had been filled nightly for the past fourteen months with American B-29 Superfortresses. Thinly scattered volleys of anti-aircraft shells burst around the Saipan based group that was unloading what was to be their last tonnage of destruction in the war with Japan. Last, but not least, on the final leg of the mission, was the aircraft Slim, named in honor of the movie starlet Lauren Bacall. The boys on the ship were flying their third mission as replacements for the Saipan Wing that had undergone a terrific loss of manpower.

Led 1st B-29 raid on Tokyo 24 Nov 44
Robert Morgan could have gone home after completing his 25 missions in the European Theatre in the Memphis Belle. But, during the public relations tour he saw the B-29 (still cloaked in some secrecy) in Boeing’s hangar in Wichita. This was their brand new long-range bomber and it was love at first sight for Morgan. After successfully completing his B-29 training in Pratt, KS and Clovis, NM he was given command of the 869th Bombardment Squadron and arrived in Saipan in Dauntless Dotty in October 1944.

Pratt Air Base Crash
Transcribed by Milt Martin, 06/26/2007, from “Report On Air Force Plane Crashes World War II Pratt, Kansas Area, May 2002, by Rodney B. Dyerly Major USAFR (Ret.)” available at Pratt County Historical Museum.
The other event involved a B-29 Bomber (4 engine), of the 497th Bomb Group, on the evening of June 13, 1944 at the Pratt Air Base. Since the aircraft was scheduled for a training flight, the crew included five (5) Pilots. William Kadi of Hayward, California, who was then stationed at the Air Base, recalls that as the Airmen were ready to climb into the B-29, one of the pilots noticed that there were thirteen (13) crew members. Since he was superstitious, he decided that one member, the radio man, would have to stay behind.

From a small town in Texas called Willington, Othal Leo Knowles (Yogi) was inducted into the United States Army as a result of World War II and the need for manpower in support of the war. Born in 1923 Yogi would have been almost 20 years old when inducted March 16, 1943. His experience would take him from Pratt Army Air Field to the end of the war in August 1945.

by Mildred Libby Connors - 1999
Ed LIBBY, my father, was born the 2nd of Nov 1896 in Iuka Township, Pratt County, Kansas, in "Grandma Fields" house, about 4 miles north of Iuka. His father, Simeon, was building a new home for John PARKER at that time.

Date of event: After March, 1944 and through 1945
Date written: 16 March, 1990
Written by: John Backes
Editor's Note: We have seen how individuals get lost in the shuffle as in the case of Brad Prince. Here is another story but with a kicker ending. (There is irony in these stories. These guys are lost and not even missed but should one of us have missed a formation, depend on it, we would have been listed AWOL that minute with guardhouse threats hanging over us.)

By Sandy Amell - Navigator

This is my recollection of my experiences as the Navigator on Allie Thacker's crew in the 6th Sq., 29th BG, 314th Wing. I tell it as I remember things but, as my children sometimes tell me, "That's not the way it was, Dad." If there are errors, forgive me. It was 56 years ago!!

I am Jack Franklin, B29 flight engineer, 1st Lt., MOS 1028, 0868108, 20th Air Force; 21st Bomber Command; 73rd Bombardment Wing; 497th Bomb Group (VH); 870 Bomb Squadron.
On March 19th, 1945, my plane was A Square 31, New Glory, on our tenth mission where we released our low altitude incendiary bombs from 6000 ft. during a night attack on Nagoya. Almost three square miles of Nagoya proper were burned and destroyed by B29 crews that night.

They were formed as a combat unit in the spring of 1941. From all parts of the United States they came — young, fearless and thirsty for adventure. Well-trained and highly qualified, they fiew the powerful Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the biggest and deadliest bomber of World War II. With it, they bombed the Japanese from their base on Tinian Island in the Marianas. They were the crews of the 40th Bomb Group.