My father, Lt. James R. Smith, was radar observer aboard the P-61 Black Widow named Jing-Bow Joy-Ride. He and pilot Carl Absmeier were a high-scoring team for the 426th NFS in China, with two air-to-air victories and a number of successful intruder missions in 1945. They even assisted with a hazardous mission to destroy the strategically significant Yellow River Bridge -- with orders to rotate home in their pockets! My father left a detailed memoir of all of these exploits, which has now been posted in its entirety at
Night Fighter. We welcome all visitors to the site. These stories are as great as our storied airmen themselves were. Please visit. Blue skies, all!
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