Aircraft Markings and CamouflageDiscuss B-29 Haley's Comet under research in the Technical forums; Does anybody know exact colors of the nose art "Haley's comet" of B-29?
The right one is my guess.
This ...
Does anybody know exact colors of the nose art "Haley's comet" of B-29?
The right one is my guess.
This is said painted on a Superfort A sq 22 870SQ 497BG 73BW 20th Air Force stayed on Saipan during 1944-1945.
On January 27, 1945, Haley's Comet got a flak hit on her bomb bay to fire above Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. She dropped back the formation, released bombs on the forest of Shizuoka city and finally rammed by Nick(Ki-45) to crash on Inba County, Chiba Prefecture east to Tokyo.
Three or four crews jumped into the air.
1/Lt David C. Williams, Copilot's paraschute did not open and could not survive.
Lt. Vere Daw Carpenter, Radar Operator and Sgt Olinto F. Lodovici, Tailgunner captured as POW and returned to U.S. after the war though I find no their own testimony about the incident at the moment.
2/Lt Joseph Bena, Navigator was regarded as KIA (Killed In Action).
I do not know if the KIA means he parachuted.
I and my friend are trying to visualise the rammed scene finally as precise as possible by CG on Web.
I was born in Sendai city, northeast of Japan, in 1953.
There was a US base camp at Kawauchi which was located neaby my old house.
No military anymore because they left for the Korean War.
Only American style houses and gardens remained.
They were painted in shining white with window frame in fresh green.
Very beautiful. I missed American culture and studyed English much harder than any of my friends in the class.
My English teacher used to be working for the US Military as a translator. It sounded so fantastic.
Sorry this has nothing to do with the thread.
I happened to recall my old days.
My Grandmother passed on some genealogy documents to me recently, and within the package was a letter dated November 10, 1940 from Sgt. Olino F. Lodovici. The letter is addressed to "Attn: Lt. Col. John T. Burns" in regards to a request for information regarding the members of his crew. I am interesting in finding family members that might want this information. My tie is to First Lt. David C. Williams. He did not have children, but his father, another David C. Williams is my 2nd great grandfather, making 1st Lt. David Williams my great grandmother Helen's brother.
Below I am transcribing the document (typed on VERY thin paper, so some spots are unreadable).
Braun Hotel
Victoria, Kansas
Nov. 10, 1945
Status Review and Determination Section
Casualty Branch
War Department
Munitions Building, Room 4601
Washington 25, D.C.
Attn; Lt. Col John T. Burns, OIC
Gentleman:
In reply to your request of Nov, 6, 1945 concerning the members of my crew, the following statement is submitted:
We took off from Saipan on 27 January, target Tokyo. There were about fifteen ships in our formation that day. Fighter opposition was very heavy. We lost our number 4[?] man about a minute away from the target. We were flying number 6 position. Over the target we dropped all bombs except one. We were trying to kick the remaining bomb out, and because the doors were open they probably through we were crippled. The majority of the fighters concentrated on our one ship.
The first pass we had was made on the nose -- I think there were three or four fighters in that attack. They hit our bombardier Pleus, copilot Williams, and pilot McDonald. Pleus was hit pretty bad and may have been killed. Williams was hit through the chest and head. I remember Williams calling over the interphone telling the copilot he was hit in the head and had blood in his eye and couldn't see and wouldn't be able to help him. He asked McDonald if they got him. McDonald said they got him but thought he could probably make it. I believe the radio operator, the navigator and the engineer were hit with this same pass.
Fighter opposition was so heave at this point that some of the positions ran out of ammunition. I was riding tail gun and I ran out of ammunition and had my gun knocked out and sight shot out of my hand. I was hit in the back of the head and was out of the picture. I tried to call over the interphone for help but the interphone was out.
I looked out the window then to see what was going on. We were hit all over and burning in about three different places. I looked out the left window when the ship started to do a slow roll. We were diving into two fighters. I realized then that the ship was in such bad shape that the pilot had evidently been killed or passed out from his wounds.
At that time we were quite a ways from the rest of the formation. It was a hell of a formation, and the only fellow that stayed with us was the commanding officer.
I then looked out the right window and saw that about four feet were burned off the wings. Fuel cells were sticking out in the open and I knew it wouldn't be long before the ship blew up. I put on my parachute and opened my escape hatch and bailed out. As I bailed out I heard the ship explode. Altitude at that time was 24,500 feet.
I hit the ground and was immediately taken captive. I was placed in solitary confinement for a little better than two months. While I was in solitary confinement I was interrogated quite a few times. During the first interrogation I found out the only other crew member that got out was radar operator Carpenter. On April 3 I was removed to a special category at Camp Omori. I saw Carpenter but couldn't talk to him until April 7.
The rest of the story is what Carpenter told me. He said about five minutes before we left the ship our left gunner was hit pretty badly. He tried to give him blood plasma but [unreadable due to fold in paper that has torn] oxygen Carpenter had to go get his oxygen, but when he returned Carpenter was unconscious again. [odd, but it does say, "Carpenter was unconscious again"]. The ship was burning so badly that he realized he had to get out. The only two other living members of the crew in that compartment were the CFC gunner and the right gunner. He told them that they would all have to bail out, and to put on their chutes and get ready. Connell was still firing his guns at the time. He couldn't tell whether Connell was much injured but Preisser looked to be in book shape. Carpenter then went back and put his chute on, assuming that the others would do the same. He then opened the door to bail out and that's all he remembered until he hit the ground. We know for certain that the ship blew up and no other member of the crew got out. We were both put in special category until August 15, and liberated August 29. We were made prisoners of war on August 19.
Thank you very much for your precious information about Haley's Comet.
It would be a hardship for you to type all those sentences.
The testimony by one of the survivors Sgt. Olino F. Lodovici is sure what I have been looking for. Please let me write you later again as this is early morning here and I must go to work now, regretly.
Attached image I made show Haley's Comet and Ki-45 fighter which rammed Haley's Comet finally. Pilot was Sgt. Yuuichi Kobayashi(20yo) with radio crew Corporal Natsuo Koibuchi(18yo).
Please tell my best wishes and gratitude to your kind Grandmother too.
*******
Hi, syscom3.
I am also a member of b-29.org for a couple of months
My nickname is fm2829hj2008.
I'm receiving a dozen of mail information everyday
Thank you Micdrow for such a clear noseart image of Haley's Comet.
I always admire your huge data stock!
Yes, syscom3. There are lots of great information about the Superfort and crew. Data seem being updated hour by hour.
It's amazing for me sixty three years after the war! You told me the site first. Thank you!
The followings are my research results in Japan about your Great Grandmother's brother.
First Lt. WILLIAMS, David C. Jr ID#0-683933
Incident on January 27, 1945.
His parachute did not open and he fell on the ground of Kamishiro, Ooaza, Wada Village, Inba County,
Chiba Prefecture nearby Tokyo.
His remains was buried at the Imperial Japanese Army Cemetery of Sakura-cho, Inba County,
Chiba Prefecture with respect as a military man and returned to the U.S. in postwar.
Haley's Comet herself crashed on Sisui-cho, Inba County, Chiba Prefecture.
Porphyrins.
Would you mind if I may ask you to post the old photograph of Haley's Comet with crew, and the newspaper clippings if possible here?
I am interested in them very much because the relating photos and records are very few.....
Thank you again Porphyrins for your fantastic informaion.
If any new finding coming up here, I shall let you know time to time.
I am glad we are all able to put pieces together so many years later. I am new to all of this information and am learning quite a bit!
We all want to know what we are doing here and where we have come from, my genealogy research is helping me to understand not only my medical history, but also the history of all of our cultures. I did not know so much about my own family history. It is my feeling that when we put pieces together like this, that it helps later generations to know who we were and help them understand where they came from and hopefully to make a much better future.
Here is the image of the newspaper copies from Rochester Michigan that speak of David Williams death and some other details. I am sad to say that some of the text is unreadable
I hope that this image can be "saved" easily and then when opened possibly easier to "zoom" in on to see the text.
I will be sharing these posts on the forum that was recommended here as well
Thank you again for your help! I appreciate it very much!
Thank you for your post the newspaper copies.
Almost contents are readable. That is enough.
I have been researching the war and warefares for my own curiousity but
you are thinking about the later generations. That is great and right.
We must consider them.
Thanks for your very educational opinion.
It will be my great pleasure if my information may have contributed to your genealogy research somewhat.
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January 27, 1945 - Sgt. Olino F. Lodovici & Crew 
Originally Posted by Shinpachi 
Your Welcome Shinpachi :) 
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