Recollection of B-29
Chapter 3: U.S. soldier returning
alive of the miracle

News of the B-29 crew & P-51 Pilot


1. Receive a email of core information

Email from the prisoner of war survivor
The journey of my recollection began to Mar. 2000. It is the journey of internet. And, 2.5 years passed. Meantime, The visitor counter of my HP exceeded 10,000 times.

The recollection of my B-29 wandered internet web that covers the earth. And, I receive the offer of information from many one and could also approach the truth of B-29. And, I receive the offer of information from many one and could also approach the truth of B-29. And, one after another I received email that offers core information from Japan and America.

Email of June 15.2002 "B29site-very good" was received. Email is 80 years old Mr. Ray 'Hap' Halloran of residing in a San Francisco area. He says that there was the introduction of your Site from the historian of Japan half year ago in the beginning. And, I am the prisoner of war survivor of B-29 who it was shot down in the Jan 27.1945 Tokyo up in the air with self-introduction, and He says that he was locked up in the animall cage of an Ueno zoo first. And he has informed that you able to offer the information that wants to you. It is remail of a request promptly. And now furthermore the information exchange continues. Photo: Recent Mr. Hap Halloran (Mr.Hap offer)

Furthermore, The information that offers the detailed core information regarding POW's June 24. 2002 B29 entered into BBS. The contributor is the member of the meeting who records an Aomori air raid with Mr. KAZUYHIKO NAKAMURA.
He offered the information of the crash P-51 pilot to the Aichi Pref. Okazaki city and prisoner of war information of SODAME crash B-29. Thereafter, I received the offer of Copy of a Disbanding Ministry and GHQ record after that from Mr. KAZUYHIKO NAKAMURA.

I reproduced the situation in that time of the P-51 pilot capture event that I stared at 57 years ago on the basis of these information first. And, I became want to try to visit the starting point of the journey of the recollection.

Capture event of the P-51 pilot
The starting point of my B-29 recollection begins in the day in the summer of 57 years ago. It is tied the hand in the back, and it is because the figure of the American soldier that was blindfolded was remembered to my young mind. It reproduces from the war situation in that time.

When it is Jul 15,1945.The main munitions factory and city of Japan almost disappeared with the bombing of B-29. Even an Iwo island and Okinawa were falling. The vessels and the aircraft carrier of a combined fleet crowded in the coastal waters of Japan. The U. S. armed forces station P-51 at the Iwo island, and, they finished the support organization of B-29. Furthermore the stationing of B-29 went on to bomb the northeast, Hokkaido area of Japan easily in the Iwo island.

The Imperial Headquarters of Japan say that the damage of the bombing of B-29 is not a problem less, And, they advance thoroush resistance. And it commanded to each district corps in preparation for the mainland landing of the Allied Forces. Jul 15 is one month before an end of the war, and 5 days before the B-29 air raid of the Okazaki city.

Jul. 15 at 10 a.m.P-51Mustang took off Iwo Island in succession.Even the formation for support of B-29 departs. The formation that aims at the Okazaki air fleet moved northward the Bonin Islands up in the air and aimed at Cape Irago.

At 12:19 air defense alarm issuance, The child of an elementary school ran into to the air-raid shelter that takes on an air defense hood and was dug at the center of the playground.

At the time off the coast of Cape Irago the Paul E. Chism lieutenants of 5 of machine formation leadership machine of P-51 in flight reconfirms the attack goal with the aerial photo. And he confirms Yahagi River where shines white with the sunlight in midsummer. It goes moving northward the Okazaki up in the air at first.

At 12:39 air raid warning issuance, Evacuation, and it is enemy plane invasion.

Their attack goal is an Okazaki air fleet. Different formation is shooting a railroad train. The formation of the Chism lieutenant machine aimed for the barracks from the north side of the air fleet and nose-dived and started machine-gunning. It becomes that moment and the machine gun of the Okazaki air fleet that was able to hide explodes. And, it hits the Chism lieutenant machine immediately before secession.

The body crashed in the PX building inside the 1st Okazaki air fleet. The Chism lieutenant escapes from with a parachute. He goes sightseeing flies the up in the air of the a National road NO 1 line line, house and railroad from the edge of the south of the air fleet. And he landed safe at the farm on the south side of RENGEJI(Temple).

It is air raid all-clear at 13:45. As make sure it, the soldier of the 1st Okazaki air fleet, made an express with the MAEDA army surgeon lieutenant. The Chism lieutenant was arrested right after. The MAEDA army surgeon looked over him. And, there is not a remarkable injury and judged the treatment with unnecessary.

The Chism lieutenant in the time is the shortstop trousers of khaki color. And his huge body that seemed to pink color is be connected a back hand bandage and to a rope and a line advanced a soldier to the head. Climb the slope of RENGEJI, Cross the railroad crossing of the railroad, It goes through the center of the village. Going across R-1 it enters into the military road. And, it is fading away into the air fleet. Many inhabitants of a village were seeing it patiently without doing this line at all.

The damage in the day does not understand the inside of the air fleet. 4 trains were attacked in the city. A bullet penetrated a wooden body. The hole resembled with that opened it with a large drill. As a result becoming single-track operation it got confused daylong.

With the interrogation record of after, the MAEDA army surgeon comes to RENGEJI after the crash and the KIYOSHI KIMURA Rear admiral of the 1st Okazaki air fleet assignment said to have examined.However, the MAEDA army surgeon of this testified that he does not do the medical treatment deed.

The SYOUZABUROU KONDOU lieutenant of the accountant manager of the 1st Okazaki air fleet attended the interrogation. He testified that the name of the pilot remembers as Chism.

There was not even case the Chism lieutenant after the arrest is executed in the Okazaki air fleet. And, he is escorted in the OFUNA prisoners camp of a navy to Jul.18 of 3 days later. And he saw the end of the war with 135 prisoners of war.

P. S. Information of the Paul E. Chism lieutenant
I confirmed that the pilot of P51 is a Paul E. Chism lieutenant from the record of the GHQ and disbanding ministry of Japan that were made after the end of the war.
However, I have not obtained the record of Chism lieutenant oneself yet. Accordingly the news after his release does not know.

Please inform with email to me in case that you know the information of he and the family.

2. SODAME crash B-29 information

Returning alive of the Hedges miracle

It is the email information from Mr.Hap Halloran. I was his information and confirmed the fact of the return of the existence soldier of SODAME crash B-29 first. The following are the extract of the email.

To Kunio Okada: There was one survivor on Z square 22. His name was Horold T,Hedges. We were POW's together in Omori POW April 1 to August 29, 1945. We called him Harry when we survived together at Omori. He apparently grew up in Oklahoma; did some Boxing (sport) in school. Was beaten severely on many occasions - generally related to fact he violated the rule - POW could not eat any of vegetables - daikon or cucumbers - we grew along the railroad tracks in Omori.

Other than that he was lucky to have survived the Osaka Kempei Tai who were brutal - killing 49 of 51 B 29 Prisoners that were shot down in that area; subsequently captured and killed by KT guys and buried at the Rifle Range (near present day Peace Museum) or in Sadoyama (?) cemetery, etc.. Enough of that.

Hedges plane was apparently rammed by a Hien (Tony). He was blown out and was conscious enuf to pull open his Parachute. Sole survivor.


Other crew members were

Wilbur Hurlbutt Major Aircraft Commander
Felix P. Omilian 2nd Lt
Glendon Aitken 1 st Lt
Ed Stoehr 1 lt
Glenn Truesdell 1 st Lt
Joe Nighan Sgt
Paul Dreyer Staff Sgt
Karl Hunt Sgt
Frank Yanik Sgt
Richard Steinberg Corporal
Marcus Mullen Lt. Colonel

That was B 29 42-24766 V Square 22 of 500th Group - Saipan based.

Strange thing - when we 32 B 29 POWs who were together at Omori were liberated and returned home we rarely kept in touch with each other and just drifted apart. We wanted to cancel all our bad memories of our days as POWs in Tokyo area.

Some exceptions - I am regularly in touch with Robert F. Goldsworthy - shot down Dec 3, 1944 - over target 357 and parachuted into Chiba - west of present day Narita Airport. Also Colonel Dick King and Lt. Col Brugge and Sgt Schroder were survivors. King was in cage next to me - Brugge in 3rd cage in "Stables" at Tokyo Kempei Tai. Those three are all dead.

Goldsworthy and I were friends in Omori and thru all rest of life. A great person. He flew in Korean War also and became a Major General. We talk regularly on phone. Have some photos of him then and now. We both have great senses of humor and try to remember anything humorous about our time together in Omori - difficult to do. We worked together to clean toilets out in homes burned down and used for fertilizer in our "garden". We each shared our one blanket and slept together for warmth. He weighed about 100 and I was about 114 pounds when liberated and taken aboard Hospital ship Benevolence in Tokyo Bay.---Below omission---

By the way, is Hedges well even now? I asked it to Hap. He said. After that there is not the contact with Hedges. And, as for Hedges, the present does not exist.

--- Photo Top: Omori prisoners' camp, Photo Under: Prisoner of war delight at the time of Aug 29 1945 release. Circle mark be Hap. ---

News article of Hedges returning alive.

The photo is OKLAHOMA CITY TIME of his hometown on Sep 13 1945 Thursday.
The headline is"Japs Beat City Boy with Rifle Butts".

His returning alive was Big News in that time. Please read the news item of the right, although it is a little indistinct.

P. S: According to the deposition of Hedges, the carrot event was end of the war days in Aug 15.1945. He deposed that 2 grinders broke on the left with this event. And Hedges and Howord ate a cucumber in Jul 5.1945 together according to the deposition of Hap. Even the time is beaten with the same crime. Young they are thought that able to put up with to an empty stomach and be each and took out the hand. Even if selves are the vegetable that made the eye of surveillance shone.

After that, The surveillance personnel Yasushi Kimura civilian employee of the Omori prisoners camp who beat Aug 15 1945 Hedges was accused. And, he became the sentence in penal servitude 5 with a Yokohama trial.


Prisoner of war(POW) information of Harold T. Hedges

1) Private information: Sergeant/B-29 tail gun hand/22 years old single/Hometown:Oklahoma
2) Shooting down: Jan 3. 1945, 15:15
3) Arrest: 1,945.1.4 landing neighborhood, In the MATSUDAIRA village during concealment. TOMISHIGE MATSUURA of a Toyohashi military policeman division army military policeman sergeant the arrest.
4) Attender: Squad commander TOKITAKA MATSUMOTO second lieutenant
5) The Nagoya military police: From Jan 4.1945 to Jan 7.
6) The Osaka military police: From Jan 7.1945 to Mar 7 (Testimony of Hedges)
7) Omori prisoners camp: From Mar 7 to Aug 29 (Testimony of Hedges)

Crew list of names

List of names the SODAME crash B-29 crew
NOCrew PositionName in Full RankSerial NumberCurrent Status----
1PilotWilbur E. HurlbuttMajor0-1699361MTADeath
2Co-PilotFelix P. Omilian2nd Lt,0-685171MTADeath
3BombarderGlendon M. Aitken1st Lt,0-741439MTADeath
4NavigatorEdward H. Stoehr1st Lt,0-738741MTADeath
5Flight EngineerGlen C. Truesdell1st Lt,0-859714MTADeath
6Radio OperatorJoseph P. NighanSgt,33623699MTADeath
7Radio Operator,Paul E. DreyerS/Sgt,13137567MTADeath
8GunnerKarl HuntSgt,11067825MTADeath
9Gunner Harold T. Hedges Sgt, 38400804 MTA POW
10GunnerFrank J YanikSgt,33829896MTADeath
11GunnerRichard P. Steinberg Cpl,12101125MTADeath
12PassengerMarcus A. MullenLt Col,0-22829MTADeath

Fainal mission: Jan 3.1945 / Destination: Nagoya / US Air Force: 20AF, 21BC, 500BG(Z 22), 882BS/Type of plane: B-29-45-BW/ Nickname:The Leading Lady / Crashi: Sodame / Serial NO: 42-24766
I pray happiness in the other world.


SODAME B-29 Investigation
The Investigation by GHQ was spent on the war criminal trial. After that storage to the American Department of Defense, As for the present of half century later the Copy is stored by the National Diet Library of Japan. And, that found out the data the that I request is KAZUHIKO NAKAMURA.

Report of GHQ/SCAP LS regarding the crash machine,
1)Missing Aircrew Report
2)Burial Report
3)Interrogation report
4)Survivor deposition
from it is.

As for the body that crashed into Japan, is said to there is all the records. The data are over 6000 page voluminous things even only the TOKAI Corps relation.

GHQ/SCAP LS, Investigation Division Report #82 was the report of a SODAME crash machine.

The report is 30 pages of English sentence B5. It is Copy of Fax from U.S. and the letter is indistinct and small it was difficult in me. The following is the main point of the contents that I could understand.

With, the witnessing information, at the time of the crash as for FUKUJI HIKOSAKA of the MATSUDAIRA police, the crash of B-29 was around 15:15 of Jan 3. The body was an air fire. An explosion did not do. One person escaped from with a parachute.

Also, Kelvin E. Neel of the successive machine of the crash machine stared Z 22. Smoke came out from the right side with altitude of 76,000 m. Rapidly lowered altitude. It circled to the inland. It crashed with a slow spin from 3000 m.Even 1 parachute did not open. The smoke that resembled with an explosion rose. The crew judged as disappearance and left the area furthermore.

The total 10 body was confirmed, with 4 bodies that the body of the crash machine drew from the back of 6 bodies, machine which burnt completely. Cremated their body in the village. And, buried it in the cemetery of the Okazaki-City KAKE town. They were 4 officers 6 people, a non commisioned officer from the recognition plate.

The remains, It was placed in a wooden box to each. Arranging it to the depth of about 80 cm it was buried. A collection team took back all the them.

Their belongings are collected and Nagoya KT carried itThose were women's photo, pistol 6, parka fountain pen, mechanical pencil, the recognition plate, the rings, coins, bills etc of a serviceman.

There were the film, newspaper etc. of many photographs, news movies after crashes. It burnt all with the air raid of B-29. The interpretation at the time of the Hedges interrogation was the ISAMU INOMATO English teacher of a GIFU medical college. Hedges was described even the report that returned home.

The crew list of names of the crash machine is 12 people including the Marcus A Mullen air force commander of the passenger. One person is saved. The homecoming of 10 bodies was confirmed. However, it is not sufficient 1 person.

3. OKAZAKI air fleet (navy) and P-51 shooting down information

4. Treatment of the prisoner of war(POW)

5. Prisoners' camp

6. Finish the journey of the recollection of B-29

I was able to finish the journey of the recollection of B-29 with a happy ending. The American soldier who I was not forgotten half century over overturned many rumors and had accomplished the returning alive of the miracle to each. I am the feeling that wants to comprehend and wants to share this information with the family of Hedges and Chism. It is the favor of the offer of the encouragement and information from the visitor of Japan and America. Thank you very much.

I learned many case through B-29. I knew that there are through B-29 that terminated the war sad many stories. Why did U.S. do the indiscrimination bombing by B-29 tenaciously as this? I could understand the reason. B-29 was such a strategic bomber that stops the root of the breath of the Japanese empire. And, it is thought that this air raid was the tactics that minimizes the victim of the American nations.

There is not the recognition that I am the victim of indiscrimination bombing heretofore and have walked life. However, when I finish the journey of the recollection why or the father who became the sacrifice of indiscrimination bombing is thought. It begins to the Tokyo large air raid of Mar 10.1945. I expressed to first. At that time my father was managing the dress store with Shinjuku area of Tokyo. The family was 4 children with the parents and spent happy from day to day. The KIO shrine and ISETAN department store of Shinjuku where played well are recalled.

My father was returning home in Mar 10.1945 of a Tokyo large air raid from the job of a corps. Next morning of the air raid in a bicycle with the situation of indiscrimination bombing he went to confirmation. Next morning of the air raid in a bicycle with the situation of indiscrimination bombing he went to confirmation. The father who saw the terrible scene caused the mother and juvenile me and older brother, escaped from from Tokyo with the night train right away. The second daughter of a 5 year student evacuated before alone. The father and eldest daughter remained in Tokyo because they defend the store and home.

Seems to have there been the reason that that time is not able to escape from quickly. A fire brigade destroyed it to secure the fire prevention area before the air raid of B-29 even the store even the house where goes through hardships and built.

It turned with the sea of fire all over Shinjuku with the indiscrimination bombing of Apr 14 1945 when they moved nearly. The father and eldest daughter run about trying to escape the middle of the fire to the west to the All night long west. They live in the park which had the pond of SUGINAMIKU and said to have entered upon morning.

Yet fire the debris where remains all were burning down when it arrives to the house somehow. Why or, Steaming the rice in the kettle was able to cook deliciously. The eldest daughter makes the ONIGIRI(Rice ball ). And she ate with the father. And, the father runs out power and fainted.

Even a railroad does not work. They lived somehow one week later and arrived to the parents' home of the mother. There was not medicine. The father passed away in Jun 30 1945 at the age of 39.

We survived by virtue of the judgment of the father that saw it with 100,000 victims by the indiscrimination bombing of Mar 10 1945. The air-raid shelter of the back yard of the house of Tokyo was dug up after the end of the war. The Singer sewing machine made in U.S. that the father did carefully was remaining with an undamage.

The Bamboo shoot life in the postwar begins. The mother built a small house to the field of the parents' home. The mother became the subcontract of the foreign style of dress store of Nagoya by virtue of the Singer sewing machine and made efforts. 4 children received higher education within the range of ability. We received chocolate from the U. S. armed forces. We grew up with the gort milk of the parents' home of the mother and powdered milk of the support goods of U.S.

I was the child of the victim of indiscrimination bombing. However, there is not why or the hatred to B-29. The nations of defeated nation Japan discarded the patriotism of One hundred million mainland decisive battles within a moment.

Devil American English became a pro-American. There is not even case it causes the terrorism that hates U.S. and accepted democracy.

Japanese nations of first awake and be the black ship of the Perry fleet that did the visit to the Edo bay in last days of Tokugawa shogunate (1853). The 2nd time is thought like the indiscrimination bombing and atomic bomb drop by B-29.

B-29 and Singer sewing machine seem to be permeating, to my DNA. I was able to leave a little of the truth of the war through B-29. I hope that is useful even if this Site is trifling to the world peace.

Photo: Left: Older brother 5 years old, Right: 4 year-old I, In 1942 with the photo studio of Shinjuku Tokyo.

Editing: Jan 2003. dy JA2TKO/ Kunio Okada



7. Reference data

I omitted it in the English version edition, but it described to the Japanese edition.


Please inform with email about the following information.

1) News of the Harold T. Hadges family of ex B-29 Tail Gunner.
2) News of the Paul E. Chism and family of ex P-51 Pilot.



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