I`m looking for info on the B-29, "Ramp Queen", V-Square-5.  A friend of my father`s served aboard this aircraft as a tailgunner.  He was part of the original crew that picked up the plane new in '44 and flew to Saipan where they did their tour and returned to the states in '45.  The crew of this aircraft was awarded 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 4 Bronze Combat Battle Stars.  After the original crew completed their tour and left for the states, the aircraft was taken over by another crew.  This aircraft was shot down over Tokyo on May 25, '45 with ALL crewmembers lost.  I am looking for info, pics, etc. of the original crew of "Ramp Queen", as well as the second crew.  They are all gone now but their deeds live on.  Thank you for any info you might have.

Kevin....This is from Bob Mann's The B-29 Superfortress :

42-63513   Ramp Queen  K TRI 7  (1) Assigned 11/30/44 505BG  OFF Inventory  1/00/45  Tran 498th BG

42-63513  Ramp Queen  V Sq-5 (2)  Assigned 1/00/45  499BG Off Inventory 5/25/45  Shot Down Tokyo.

Jim :-)

James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt
B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions
99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF
Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy
My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45
M/Sgt USAF (Retired)

Yankee Flyer 72,
The original V Sq 5 was named Tokyo Twister, 42-24682. This aircraft was salvaged after a hard landing 1/27/45 the crew moving to V Sq 3. Burkett was AC and Vic Rake(sp) was tailgunner.
The replacement aircraft was named Ramp Queen, 42,63513, Burrell as AC with no other crew members listed. Lost 5/26/45. The replacement for this aircraft was 44-70199. It returned to the states.
So.... If you can get me the original AC or SN I will try find a pic for you. Am attaching a pic of 42-24682.
Good luck in your search,
Bill Copeland
CAF main hangar
Midland, Tx


[image]local://upfiles/4569/D9F62996FD0845DD9E0B7E7CC4AF1342.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Kevin,
 
See attachment for reference to Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 14512 recording the loss of Ramp Queen.
 
Take what you like and leave the rest....
 
Andy

[image]local://upfiles/5746/146E5F2778844005BDC06C849C488D82.jpg[/image]

Kevin,
 
What was you friend's father's name?
 
Andy

Hello Bill,

First off let me say I have been an avid follower of the CAF since the late 60`s.  Made my first trip to Harlingen in '71 and again in '82.

The crew of the "Ramp Queen" that my father`s friend was a part of as tailgunner were in the 877th sqd. and consisted of P.K. Sloan, G.S. Tallha, J.J. Beck, M.R. Ehlers, L.F. Covi, R.L. Fodse, E.E. White, G.R. Wilkens, E.I. Kozlowski, L.G. Stertz, and Archie Hamrick(tailgunner).  This info comes from a crew picture that was given to me by Mrs. Hamrick.  The aircraft positions are not given but she believes that P.K. Sloan was the Pilot.  Her husband left for Saipan in Nov. or Dec. of '44, and returned sometime in the spring of '45.  She is 81 yrs. old and her memory is failing her.
I assume that the crew was assigned to the "Ramp Queen" and flew and completed their missions.  I would guess that the Burrell crew was assigned to the aircraft after they left and it was this crew which was lost over Tokyo.
Mrs. Hamrick said her husband had some pics of the crew with "Ramp Queen" in the background and she remembers  the V-Sq.-5 markings well, as they were visible in the photos.  Unfortunately she no longer remembers where they are.

As a side note, my dad flew B-17`s with the 8th in WWII.

Thank you for your help.  It is much appreciated.

                                                                            Kevin

Just happened across your message regarding V Square 5.  My dad is Melvin R. Ehlers.  He was the engineer on this B-29 (the Ramp Queen).  He is still alive but is fighting cancer at this time.  We do have a picture of his entire crew that I will get scanned and sent to you.  It has the names on the back of the picture that identify all crew members.  I also have his WWII scrapbook that includes, among other things, pictures and a log of every mission that they flew.  As mentioned in the thread entries, they flew all 30 missions without losing any crew members.  The crew that took over their plane after their 30th mission, went down on their first mission. 
 
Proud to be the son of a member of the "Greatest Generation"!!!!
My email is:  crehlers@aol.com 

Hello Curt,

Kevin,
 
Thanks for the quick reply.  On this Memorial Day weekend, I was looking over my dad's WWII scrapbook and searching the Internet for more info.  I'm trying to put together a collage of info for my dad (and myself) before it's too late and he's gone.  We're heading back to Ohio in June to see him and I am trying to get this together before our trip.  Anyway, it's great hearing from you and hearing from someone that share's my fascination with the actions of these guys during WWII. 
 
Your info is great... I actually called my dad earlier today to clarify a few things that I had mis-understood and that you had related in your last posting.  Here's a little more info, some is a little different from what you had, and a couple of answers to your questions:
 
My dad has always said that they had diverted to Guam on thier way to Saipan on December 25th because the Japs were attacking Saipan as they were arriving.  I had never heard that their plane was destroyed in an air raid.  According to my dad, the plane they brought over from the states is the one that they kept and flew as their primary plane.  According to his mission log, the flew several different planes but V-5 was "theirs" and it was the one they originally brought over from the states.  If you have different info, let me know but he sounded very confident in this...
 
He remembers the mission you asked about with the Burrell crew.  He shows the date as May 26th rather than May 25th (return date vs. departure date).  I am positive its the same flight since he mentions the Distinguished Flying Cross.  He said that Lt. Burrell's crew had just brought over a new plane from the states and it was their practice that an experienced crew do a "shakedown" mission on the new planes.  Therefore, the Burrell crew flew V-5 and my dad's crew flew their plane (V-9).  This was their 22nd mission, not their last; they had just traded planes.  Their last mission was actually July 2nd and they left for the states on July 31st.    Here's what he has in his log for this mission:
"May 26, 1945.  No. 22.  Bombed Tokyo with incendiary bombs (17,280lbs) at night from 8,800 ft.  We were a pathfinder on this mission.  This is the mission we got our D.F.C. for.  Lt. Burrell was lost on this mission in our airplane.  Time 14:05.  V-9."
 
I never realized until reading your entry that they did do a photo recon mission over Nagasaki (I would assume like White and Sloan said, this was in prepartion for the Atomic Bomb.  This is the only non-bombing mission that I see in his log.  Here's the info for this mission (they're back in V-5 now):
"June 25, 1945.  No. 28.  This was a Photo Recon over the Island of Kyushu.  We flew over 3200 miles over the Island taking radar scope pictures.  We didn't carry any bombs.  The biggest town we went over was Nagasaki.  Time 14:25.  V-5."
 
I think I have the same crew pictures you described.  I only have one (poor quality) picture of V-5.  If possible, can I get a copy of the ones you described of their plane.  The one you described flying past Mt. Fuji would be great for the collage I'm assembling.   
 
Regarding Archie and the others.  I remember my dad saying that they always thought they had the best crew and, specifically, the best gunners.  His log describes whether they encountered light or heavy enemy fighters and flaq but he doesn't have any specifics in the logs on enemy aircraft shot down...
 
If you ever have the time to make a copy of the re-union video, I'm sure my dad (and I) would love to see it.  I will also make a copy of the video I made interviewing my dad for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.  I am assuming with your interest in this area that you are familiar with this (www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/).  We made the video a couple summers ago but I have not yet edited it or transcribed it so I can send it in.  I'll send you the un-edited version if you give me your address (send address to my email: crehlers@aol.com). 
 
Thanks for the info.  If you have any questions I can ask my dad, let me know.  Once I get everything scanned in, I will get your address and send you a CD or DVD.  Would like to get copies of your info also sometime...
 
Thanks again...
 
Curt Ehlers
 

There is a pic of the Luther Burrell crew in the "Unoffical History of the 499th" written by Capt Prentiss Burkett.  878th Squardron V5 42-63513  MACR #14512. Hope this will help you
 
aedwards

My Uncle was a tailgunner on B-29 shot down over Tokyo. Trying to find info on him and crew V25 42-24674

ACCORDING TO MY FATHERS INDIVIDUAL COMBAT RECORD HIS FIRST MISSION ATTEMPT WAS DATED DEC.27,44-MISSION NUMBER 16-TARGET TOKIO-AIRPLANE NUMBER V5(4682) - RESULT A(ABORT)-REMARKS #2 FUEL PRESS. HIS FIRST COMPLETTED MISSION WAS DATED DEC.30,44-MISSION NUMBER WSM-TARGET CHI CHI JIMA-AIRPLANE NUMBER V5(4682)-RESULT T(TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY).MY DAD TELLS ME THAT HE FLEW THESE MISSION AS A REPLACE LEFT WAIST GUNNER ON CAPT. FIALA CREW. MY DAD IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL LIVING IN GEROGIA. HE FLEW THE REST OF HIS MISSION IN V-SQUARE 1 LT. VACULA CREW. I HOPE THIS INFO HELPS.