I am trying to find a site that lists the fighter units based in the Tokyo Bay area in June 1945. Specifically which units intercepted the 19th Bomb Group on June 10, 1945, 20thAF Mission No. 199, resulting in the loss of aircraft 42-63567, "City of Providence", MACR 14614? Also what type fighers were they? I have read that about 35 Japanese fighters made the intercept after the bombers were outbound from the target. These fighters made about 85 individual attacks on the formation that day. Does anyone know this information or where to look for it?

Thank you,
Patrick

Patrick
these are units and airfields in the Tokyo area at this time.
 
JAAF...........
53rd Sentai (Matsudo)........Ki.45 Nick
244th Sentai (Chofu)..........Ki.61 Tony
Army Flight Test Centre (Fussa).......Various inc. Ki.84 Frank / Ki.44 Tojo
70th Sentai (Kashiwa).....Ki.44 Tojo
 
JNAF...........
302nd. Air Group ( Atsugi)......J2M3 Jack / A6M5 Zeke
343rd. Air Group (Matsuyama)...........N1K2-J  George
Yokosuka Air Group ( Yokosuka ).....J1N1 Irving
 
The 15th, 506th and 318th FGs claimed 26 for no losses.                        Nick
 

Add to Tokyo defence mid--1944------1945;
18th, 23rd, 28th Sentai  ( Ki.61 )
47th Sentai  (Ki.84 )                          Nick
 
The Sally Ann (B-29 losses) web-site doesn't list one for the 10th; Kenn Rust's Twentieth AF History says one on that date (314th Wing); this site agrees for the 19th BG.
John Lambert's "Pineapple Air Force" (VII  FC history) says no B-29 losses June 10 .
 
 

Hello Nick,
Thank you for the info. I read your profile and two of the men from my home town of Leicester, Massachusetts who died in service during WW II were in 8thAF fighter units and two were in heavy bombers.

2nd Lieutenant John Logan Bassan, 0-720745, U.S. Army Air Force
385th Fighter Squadron, 364 Fighter Group, 67th Fighter Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force
Based at USAAF Honington, Station No. 375, Honington, England.
Group Motto, Parati Ad Agendum / Ready for Action Killed in action, Monday, November 27, 1944, France, age 21.

Missing Air Crewman Report, MACR 14440, Monday November 27, 1944
385th Fighter Squadron, 364th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force
North American P-51D-10-NA Mustang, USAAF serial number 44-14336, Squadron Code 5E-U
Single seat, single engine, fighter.
Engine: Packard Merlin V-1650-7, AAF Serial No. V-324249
Weapons installed: Six Browning Cal. 50 Machine Guns, Serial Nos., 1544332, 4543718, 1545062, 1204301, 1543701, 1543895.
Loss of control of aircraft, reason suspected is oxygen system failure at altitude (24,000 ft.). Aircraft crashed in vicinity of St. Dizier, France. Map coordinates AWP 9210.
2Lt. John L. Bassan, Epinal American Cemetery, Dinoze-Quequement, France, Plot B, Row 30, Grave 44.

1st Lieutenant Chester Wade Lawrence, 0-795985, U.S. Army Air Force
359th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, 67th Fighter Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force
Based at USAAF Station No. 369, Martlesham Heath, England
Missing in action, Thursday, January 18, 1945, over North Sea off of England, age 24.
Missing Air Crewman Report, MACR 11867, Thursday, January 18, 1945
359th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force
North American P-51D-20-NA Mustang, USAAF serial no. 44-63268, Squadron Code: OC, “Little Mary”
Engine (one): Packard Merlin V-1650-7, Serial No. V-327766
Weapons Installed (six): 50 Cal., M2 Browning machine guns
Frigidare, serial no. 1483020; Frigidare, serial no. 393399, Buffalo, serial no. 1304514
Savage, serial no. 1177714; Frigidare, serial no. 1482967; Frigidare, serial no. 1483145
Last known position: 1415 hours, 51-48N, 01-40E on heading 330 degrees (about 20 miles SE of Clacton on Sea), returning alone from airfield on the continent.
Pilot lost control descending through cloud cover and crashed into the North Sea.
1Lt. Chester W. Lawrence, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England, Tablets of the Missing or Buried at Sea.

Staff Sergeant Leo E. Bernard, 11052803, U.S. Army Air Force
578th Bombardment Squadron, 392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force
Based at USAAF Station No. 118, Wendling, England
Killed in action, Friday, October 8, 1943 over Urdingen, Germany, age 19.
Missing Air Crewman Report, MACR 880, Friday, October 8, 1943
578th Bombardment Squadron, 392nd Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force
Consolidated B-24H-1-FO Liberator, USAAF serial no. 42-7488; Squadron code EC-S
“Hellz-a-droppin”; four engined heavy bomber, ten man crew.
Shot down by enemy fighters after bombing subyards at Vegesack, all ten men bailed out. However one did not have parachute attached to harness and one had a parachute failure (Bernard).

Pilot…………………………..Capt. John G. Buschman, 0-796296, Maryland, POW, Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria (moved to Nuremburg-Langwasser)

Copilot………………………..2Lt. Clarence R. Waller, 0-742635, Wisconsin, POW, Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria (moved to Nuremburg-Langwasser)

Navigator……………………..2Lt. Maurice A. Donlon, 0-678699, New York, POW, Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria

Bombardier…………………...2Lt. Robert J. Green, 0-669400, Wisconsin, POW, Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria

Radio Operator/Gunner………T/Sgt. J. T. Hoover, 14064441, Florida, KIA, Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium, Plot C, Row 15, Grave 1

Engineer/Left Waist Gunner….S/Sgt. Richard S. Adams, 31167309, New Jersey, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Right Waist Gunner…………..S/Sgt. Leo E. Bernard, 11052803, Massachusetts, KIA, Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium, Plot B, Row 33, Grave 2

Turret Gunner……….………..T/Sgt. Jacque D. Coe, 35327765, Ohio, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Ball Turret Gunner……………S/Sgt. Ray W. Davis, 36425547, Illinois, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Tail Gunner…………………...S/Sgt. Daniel J. Hanrahan, 33198002, Washington D.C., POW, Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria (moved to Nuremburg-Langwasser)


Technical Sergeant Vinal L. Wade, 31075788, U.S. Army Air Force
532nd Bombardment Squadron, 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 1st Bombardment Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force
Based at USAAF Station No. 167, Ridgewell, England
Group Motto, Triumphant We Fly Killed in action, Wednesday, December 1, 1943, near Cassel, France; age 28
Missing Air Crewman Report, MACR 1578, Wednesday, December 1, 1943.
532nd Bombardment Squadron, 381st Bombardment Group, VIII Bomber Command
Boeing B-17F-55-BO, Flying Fortress, USAAF serial no. 42-29506
Squadron code: VE – A, “Full Boost!”, aka, “Ye White Swan”.
Engines: Wright R-1820-97, AAF Serial Nos. 41-54901, 43-64038, 41-42783, 43-57246
Weapons installed: Twelve, Browning Cal. 50 Machine Guns, Manufacturer and Serial Nos., Colt 295225, 292955, 292993, 289606, 503330, High Standard 589541, 583805, 590888, 450789, Savage 506168, Kelsey-Hayes 450429, 590241
Shot down by flak, crashed near Cassel, France. Last sighted by S/Sgt. Richard E. Ingmire, 35374309
Position in Squadron formation: No. 2 position of the second element
From the information of an after action report written and filed by 2Lt. Marvin E. Dille the bombardier of the lead aircraft of the second element, it seems likely that the aircraft of Lt. Duncan was hit by flak not long after crossing the coast inbound to the target. This is the exact wording of that report.
1. Lt. Duncan had been flying rather erratically throughout most of the mission after we went into the enemy coast. The tail gunner of Lt. Clore’s ship said that Lt. Duncan would bank sharply one way and then the other and was not in formation (position) over one minute at a time. Later on after the bombs were dropped, Lt. Duncan had a fire in No.1 engine. This was extinguished in a short time. We were still in Germany. About one minute after the fire was put out, Lt. Duncan dropped out of formation still being on course but lossing altitude. He was seen to stay on course until he reached the enemy coast, where he was last seen to turn about and head back toward Germany.
2. Lt. Duncan was flying No. 2 position in the second element of the Squadron that our crew was leading.
From the Individual Casualty Questionaire’s which were filled out by the surviving crew members after the war, it seems that most of those who died were either already dead when the aircraft exploded, were killed in the explosion, or did not have their parachutes attached to their harness at the time of the explosion and fell to their death. This is the information from those reports.

2Lt. Harry Allchin, co-pilot, did not bail out, was in his pilot seat when aircraft blew up, had told everyone “to put on chutes, we might have to ditch boys…lighten ship except for guns.” He went down with aircraft or was blown from ship. It was his fifth mission.
2Lt. Mac W. Huffman, navigator, did not bail out, was in the nose and thought to be already dead. He had flown one other mission to Dusseldorf / Cologne, Germany.
2Lt. Robert G. Kessler, bombardier, did not bail out, was in the nose and thought to be dead according to S/Sgt. Roy Mattson, previous missions flown unknown.
T/Sgt. Vinal L. Wade, engineer / top turret gunner, did not bail out, was injured and on the flight deck at the top turret when aircraft exploded. He had flown three or four missions.
T/Sgt. Edward V. Doherty, radio operator / gunner, did not bail out, was last seen lying in radio room injured. He had flown one previous mission to Solinger, Germany.
S/Sgt. Leon B. Jeffers, ball turret gunner, did not bail out, was already dead and lying next to ball turret when aircraft exploded. He had called for help when his oxygen line had been shot out. A crewmate started to give him oxygen when he was hit by shrapnel. He had flown four or five prior missions.
S/Sgt. Morris A. Wall, right waist gunner, was wearing parachute when aircraft exploded, he fell clear of wreckage and pulled his rip cord. He reported that he saw two other parachutes.


Pilot……….…………...2Lt. Jason H. Duncan, 0-769792, Washington D.C., POW, Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia.

Copilot…………………2Lt. Harry Allchin Jr., 0-681289, Ohio, KIA, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France, Plot A, Row 7, Grave 32.

Navigator……………….2Lt. Mac W. Huffman, 0-749433, Illinois, KIA.

Bombardier……………..2Lt. Robert G. Kessler, 0-744481, Illinois, KIA, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France, Plot A, Row 8, Grave 43.

Engineer/Turret Gunner..T/Sgt. Vinal L. Wade, 31075788, Massachusetts, KIA, Westridge Cemetery, Dresser Hill Rd., Charlton, MA.

Radio Operator/Gunner...Sgt. Edward V. Doherty, 32497997, New York, KIA, Normandy American Cemetery, St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France, Plot B, Row 12, Grave 5.

Ball Turret Gunner……..S/Sgt. Leon D. Jeffers, 39256298, Oklahoma/enlisted in CA., KIA

Right Waist Gunner…….Sgt. Morris A. Wall, 18039422, Texas, POW, Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug, Pomerania, Prussia (closed), moved to Stalag 4, Gross-Tychow, East Prussia.

Left Waist Gunner……...Sgt. Harold G. Starkey, 15102552, Indiana, POW, Stalag Luft 4, Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug, Pomerania, Prussia)(moved to Wobbelin bei Ludwigslust)(to Usedom bei Wax-Weinar).

Tail Gunner………………S/Sgt. Roy F. Mattson, 6552127, Colorado, POW, Stalag 9C, Bad Sulza, Wax-Weimar.

I'll add this other B-17 shot down. The story of the pilot evading is an interesting one. Technical Sergeant Charles Perry is from Leicester, MA.

Technical Sergeant Charles B. (Everett????) Perry, 11009583, U.S. Army Air Force
367th Bombardment Squadron, 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 1st Bombardment Wing, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force
Based at USAAF Thurleigh, Station No. 111, Thurleigh, England
Group Motto, Abundance of Strength
Prisoner of War, Saturday, March 6, 1943 to Sunday, April 29, 1945.

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
American Defense Service Medal
Good Conduct Medal
European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon w/ 3 Stars

Date of birth, 1920

Home Address:
Pleasant St. Leicester, MA.

1930 U.S. Census; Stafford St., Rochdale, MA.
Father.. Charles Perry, age 38; Mother…Esther M. Perry, age 30; Barbara S., age 12; Elizabeth M., age 11; Charles E., age 10; Robert L., age 7.

Enlisted on Friday, June 20, 1941 at Worcester, MA.
In 1942 he received 6 weeks training at Wendover Aerial Gunnery School, Wendover Field, Utah. He also received 24 weeks traing with the 34th Bomb Group, Radio Maintenance School at Westover Field, Chicopee, MA.

Raid on France October 9, 1942

Missing Air Crewman Report, MACR 15568
Boeing B-17F-30-BO Flying Fortress, USAAF serial no. 42-5130, “Sweet Pea”, Squadron code: GY
Four engine, heavy bomber. Ten man crew.

8th Air Force, VIII Bomber Command, Mission No. 40, Saturday, March 6, 1943
71 B-17’s from the 1st Bombardment Wing are dispatched to bomb the power plant, a bridge, and port facilities at Lorient, France on the south coast of the Brittany Peninsula. 65 B-17’s dropped 162.5 tons of bombs on the targets at 1441 and 1445 hours. Gunners claimed 7 enemy aircraft destroyed, 2 probably destroyed and 1 damaged. Three B-17’s are lost, 30 crewmen are MIA. At the same time 15 Consolidated B-24 Liberator’s from the 2nd Bombardment Wing fly a diversionary mission agianst a bridge and U-Boat facilities at Brest, France on the tip of the Brittany Peninsula. All 15 B-24’s drop 44.5 tons of bombs on their targets. Their gunners claim 2 enemy aircraft destroyed and 2 probably destroyed. Three B-24’s are damaged with no casualties.

The aircraft T/Sgt. Charles Perry was on, B-17, 42-5130, “Sweet Pea” was shot down by flak over Quimper, France near Lorient. The entire crew managed to safely bail out. Most of the men were immediately taken prisoner upon landing in their parachutes. T/Sgt. Perry was taken prisoner about an hour after landing. The pilot and copilot, having jumped a minute or two after the rest of the crew landed away from them. The pilot, Capt. Ryan, managed to elude German soldiers hunting for him. The copilot, 1Lt. Simmons ignored a German Army Sergeant’s orders to halt while trying to evade capture and was shot dead. Capt. Ryan was hidden by local French civilians. He was taken into hiding by the French Resistance Underground. After several weeks in hiding, arrangements were made for his pick up. On the night of April 14/15, 1943 two British RAF, Westland Lysander, single engine liaison aircraft pick up Capt. Ryan, a British agent and three French agents from German occupied France and flew them back to England. The Lysander pilot was Flying Officer Fowler. Security policy required Captain Ryan to be sent back to the ZI, Zone of the Interior. ZI was the designation for the Continental United States Theater of Operations. No chances were taken that any man shot down, evaded, and returned to England might get shot down again, taken prisoner and maybe divulge any information on Resistance movements in the occupied countries of Europe and how they help downed airmen. All the men taken POW survived their imprisonment and were liberated 26 months later at the end of the war.

Pilot……………………Capt. John L. Ryan, Evaded capture and eventually returned to England and U.S.A.

Copilot…………………1Lt. Gerald L. Simmons, 0-661879, Utah, KIA, shot on the ground trying to evade capture.

Navigator………………1Lt. Robert Hermann, 0-660491, Ohio, POW, Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria (moved to Nuremburg-Langwasser)

Bombardier…………….2Lt. James A. Laine, 0-661003, Ohio, POW, Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria (moved to Nuremburg-Langwasser)

Engineer/turret gunner…T/Sgt. Charles E. Perry, 11009583, Massachusetts, POW, Stalag 3B, Furstenburg, Brandenburg, Prussia, (moved 8 times as Russian Army advanced west), Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria

Radio operator/gunner…T/Sgt. Glenn A. Blakemore, 17032540, Arkansas, POW, Stalag Luft 4, Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug, Pomerania, Prussia)(moved to Wobbelin bei Ludwigslust)(to Usedom bei Savemunde)

Ball turret gunner………S/Sgt. William H. Forrester, 15099498, Georgia, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Left waist gunner………S/Sgt. John R. Chapman, 18081398, Texas, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Right waist gunner……. S/Sgt. James C. Green, 18058542, Texas, POW, Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Krems, Austria

Tail gunner……………. S/Sgt. Robert G. Mumaw, 15082521, Indiana, POW, Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria

In September or October 1944 a photo was released of a group of American POW’s in a German prison camp. T/Sgt. Charles Perry was one of the men in the photo. T/Sgt. Perry was intially held at a POW camp in eastern Europe. As the Russian Army advanced westward T/Sgt. Perry and his fellow POW’s moved eight times, mostly on foot. They were liberated by American soldiers at the end of the war on April 29, 1945.
When T/Sgt. Perry got back home he was paraded all around Rochdale on a Rochdale VFD fire engine with sirens blaring. He was separated from the Army on Saturday, August 18, 1945 at Ft. Devens, Ayer, MA.

Thanks again,
Patrick

Hi Patrick
these are the ( approx ) locations of those Tokyo airfields; note that the metropolitan area is a heck of a lot bigger now !  I think it includes Fussa and Matsudo.
 
Thanks for the extra info on the Eighth; don't know much about Bassan but Lawrence was flying back from Laon / Couvron ( A70 ) where he'd landed in bad weather on the 16th. Another 359th pilot was killed on the 16th when he overshot Martlesham in low cloud and crashed about 9 miles from here.
Lawrence almost made the coast.
                                                                                Regards          Nick
 

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