{"id":271,"date":"2022-02-06T05:27:45","date_gmt":"2022-02-06T05:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/?page_id=271"},"modified":"2022-02-13T04:19:15","modified_gmt":"2022-02-13T04:19:15","slug":"b-29-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/b-29-aircraft\/","title":{"rendered":"Striking Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"271\" class=\"elementor elementor-271\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a1daf58 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a1daf58\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a12fe8f\" data-id=\"a12fe8f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f6b849 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1f6b849\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.5.6 - 28-02-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>The fundamental mission of the 330th ASG was to keep the B-29s at Isely Field flying missions against Japan. This they did. Supported by the the 330th and the other three ASGs at Isely Field, the 73rd Bomb Wing dropped 48,532 tons of bombs on Japanese targets in the course of 9894 combat sorties.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e8bb1f4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e8bb1f4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5b208ed\" data-id=\"5b208ed\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dcf2a1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dcf2a1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The first B-29 to arrive at Isely Field was T Square 5 on 12 October 1944.\u00a0 She was Brigadier General Haywood \u201cPossum\u201d Hansell\u2019s plane.\u00a0 General Hansell was the commander of the XXI Bomber Command (all the B-29s outside of India and China).\u00a0 The crew wanted to name the plane \u201c<em>Joltin Josie<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 General Hansel preferred \u201c<em>The Pacific Pioneer<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 In a wonderfully un-military compromise, the plane would be named \u201c<em>Joltin Josie, The Pacific Pioneer<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Her arrival on Saipan caused quite a stir \u2013 finally, four months after invading the island, the B-29s were arriving and the mission to strike at Japan was almost at hand.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3883b67 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3883b67\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.5.6 - 28-02-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-1024x351.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-1024x351.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-768x263.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-1536x527.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-2048x702.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Sq-5-At-Base-Ops-1-12-Oct-44-print2-cropped-500x171.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">T Square 5, \"Joltin Josie, The Pacific Pioneer,\u201d after arriving at Isley Field on October 12, 1944. She was the first B-29 to land on Saipan and was greeted enthusiastically.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e252fe1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e252fe1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3a1d67\" data-id=\"b3a1d67\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-185d90c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"185d90c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"443\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-1024x776.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-1024x776.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-768x582.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-1536x1164.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-2048x1552.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Welcoming-General-Hansell-12-Oct-44-print2-396x300.jpg 396w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">After piloting the first B-29 to land on Saipan, General Haywood Hansel (person on left shaking hands) is greeted by officers already on Saipan. This includes Colonel Lyman Phillips,commander of the 330th ASG (middle man standing in group of three officers in center of picture.) <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-26a1b87 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"26a1b87\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2ef7d20\" data-id=\"2ef7d20\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c273ab3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c273ab3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Starting in November, General Hansell would try to strike at Japan by applying Army Air Forces doctrine \u2013 high altitude precision strikes against strategic targets.\u00a0 \u00a0The limitations of bombing technology, teething problems with the new B-29s, and the weather over the Japanese home islands would frustrate his attempts more often than not.\u00a0 Before he could \u201cwork out the kinks\u201d and begin producing the results expected in Washington, he was relieved in January 1945.\u00a0 General Curtis LeMay would assume command \u2013 and two months later the low-level incendiary attacks would begin.<\/p><p><em>Joltin Josie <\/em>lasted only a few months longer than General Hansell.\u00a0 She successfully flew 24 missions without an abort.\u00a0 But, on 1 April 1945 she crashed on takeoff (see discussion below) just off the end of the Isley Field runways, exploding on impact with the waters of Magicienne Bay.\u00a0 There were no survivors.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a0b4d31 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a0b4d31\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7fb5a59\" data-id=\"7fb5a59\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f36d5f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1f36d5f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-1024x799.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-1024x799.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-768x599.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-1536x1199.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-2048x1599.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/T-Square-21-in-Formation-with-other-B-29s-near-Mt-Fuji-384x300.jpg 384w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Planes of the 498th Bomb Group, 73rd Bomb Wing in formation during an airstrike against Japan.  Mount Fuji is in the background.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c9f665e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c9f665e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-efbf8d4\" data-id=\"efbf8d4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e261732 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e261732\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"459\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-1024x805.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-1024x805.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-768x604.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-1536x1207.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-2048x1609.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Five-500-BG-B-29s-Release-Bombs-over-Yokohama-29-May-45-382x300.jpg 382w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Five B-29s of the 500th Bomb Group release incendiary bombs during a daylight attack on Yokohama on 29 May 1945.  152 planes went on this mission. None were lost, but 30 aircraft came back with battle damage which the men of the 330th ASG would have helped repair.  By the time the war was over 58% of Yokohama was in ruins. (Note: The yellow areas on the photo are damage to the original print.)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-171d3c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"171d3c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The photo above was used in hundreds of thousands of propaganda leaflets dropped over Japan in the last weeks of the war.\u00a0 By that time the threats to the B-29s had diminished enough that the US was \u201ccalling its shots\u201d as a show of strength.\u00a0 The text of the leaflet that accompanied the photo said:<\/p><p><em><strong>ATTENTION<\/strong><\/em><\/p><p><em><strong>JAPANESE PEOPLE<\/strong><\/em><\/p><p><em>In the next few days the military installations in <strong>SOME OR ALL <\/strong>of the cities named on the photograph will be destroyed by American bombs. These cities contain military installations and workshops or factories which produce military goods. The American Air Force, which does not wish to injure innocent people, now gives a warning to evacuate the cities named and save your lives. America is not fighting the Japanese people. The peace which America will bring will free the people from the oppression of the military clique and mean the emergence of a new and better Japan. You can restore peace by demanding new and good leaders who will end the war. We cannot promise that only these cities will be among those attacked, but <strong>SOME OR ALL <\/strong>will be, so heed this warning and evacuate these cities immediately.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d9a9d7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d9a9d7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cd6c676\" data-id=\"cd6c676\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1585e7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1585e7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-1024x1024.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/US_Strategic_Bombing_of_Tokyo_1944-1945-2048x2048.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Post-War Strategic Bombing Survey Map of the City of Tokyo. The darkest areas on the map show the 15.8 square miles of Tokyo destroyed on the night of 9 March 1945 during \u201cOperation Meetinghouse.\u201d This incendiary attack was the single deadliest air raid of World War II, killing an estimated 100,000 people and making another estimated 1.000,000 homeless.\n\nUltimately, Tokyo, a city comparable to New York City, would be the target of six \u201cburn jobs\u201d and 56 square miles (51%) of the city would be ash when Japan surrendered.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-57769df elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"57769df\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-051afe9\" data-id=\"051afe9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0bd58c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b0bd58c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-1024x811.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-1024x811.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-300x237.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-768x608.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-1536x1216.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-2048x1621.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Air-Photo-Post-Incindiary-Tokyo-28-Aug-45-379x300.jpg 379w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Oblique aerial photograph of Tokyo taken 28 August 45.  The only things left standing are the burned out shells of concrete reinforced buildings. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c62c6c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c62c6c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Of course, not every mission was without losses and the earlier B-29 attacks against Japan were progressively more perilous.\u00a0 Over the course of the war, the 73rd Bomb Wing (one of five B-29 Bomb Wings operating out of bases in the Mariana Islands) lost 182 aircraft and had another 1044 cases of battle damage. 1033 men were killed or missing, and another 138 men were wounded.<\/p><p>In addition to battle damage, running out of fuel, and possible errors navigating over vast stretches of open ocean, the B-29 itself could cause a crew to be lost.\u00a0 The B-29 had been rushed into service on a highly accelerated delivery schedule which limited flight testing. Consequently, the plane began service with some significant engineering weaknesses, including engines that were susceptible to overheating and fire.\u00a0 These engines were considered \u201cstill not ready for combat\u201d even as the first B-29s were being sent overseas for combat.\u00a0<\/p><p>Design modifications to address these weaknesses were made after the aircraft were delivered. \u00a0Through time these many of these weaknesses would be addressed and the dependability of the B-29 would progressively improve. But the dependability of the B-29s powerful R-3350 engines would always remain something of a concern.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bae2a70 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bae2a70\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9ef9d80\" data-id=\"9ef9d80\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62e90d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"62e90d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-1024x470.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-1024x470.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-768x352.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-1536x705.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-2048x940.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Draggin-Lady-Crash-500x229.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Z SQ 6, the Draggin' Lady, had one (or possibly two) of its engines fail during a \u201cslow time\u201d flight on 27 February 1945.  (Slow time flights were used to break in new engines before taking them into combat.)  The plane crashed in the ocean off the coast of Saipan about a mile short of the runway.  Both pilots and an observer were killed, and two others were injured in the crash.  The plane was recovered but never flew again. More information on this plane and crew can be found at https:\/\/www.cooksontributeb29.com\/z-6-draggin-lady.html.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-605f1fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"605f1fc\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ab81833\" data-id=\"ab81833\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ae1d3bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ae1d3bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As the photo above shows, ditching at sea &#8211; even near land &#8211; was extremely dangerous.\u00a0 During the period of the B\u201129 attacks on Japan (November 1944 \u2013 August 1945), search and rescue activities for downed flight crews continuously improved and the chances of being rescued if you had to ditch or bail out got progressively better.\u00a0 However, it was still not unheard at any time for a B-29 to take off from Saipan, Tinian, or Guam (the three Mariana Islands that ultimately had B-29 bases) and never be heard from again.\u00a0 Overall, 709 B-29 crewmen from the 73rd Bomb Wing were known to have ditched at sea. Only 285 of them (40%) were recovered.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bde28ff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bde28ff\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c3930d\" data-id=\"6c3930d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-abcf427 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"abcf427\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"332\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-1024x583.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-1024x583.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-1536x875.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-2048x1167.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/V-Square-50-Ditched-2r-l-cropped-500x285.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">One of the lucky crews that had to ditch was the crew of V Square 51, Umbragio III, Dat\u2019s My Boy.  The crew ditched the plane about 90 miles north of Saipan on 13 December 1944 after running out of fuel while returning from a mission to Nagoya.  The entire crew survived the ditching \u2013 you can see them all in the life rafts in the photos \u2013and was rescued the next day by a Navy destroyer.  Amazingly, the B-29 was still on the surface the next day and the destroyer had to sink it. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8034b94 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8034b94\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-078657b\" data-id=\"078657b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d42e2cb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d42e2cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"584\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-1024x753.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-1024x753.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-768x565.jpg 768w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-1536x1129.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-2048x1506.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/330thasg.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/330th-ASG-MRU-with-B-29-Pacific-Queen-cropped-408x300.jpg 408w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Mobile Repair Unit (MRU) of the 330th ASG performing engine repairs on a 500th Bomb Group B-29, the Pacific Queen. Source: Official US Army Air Forces photo.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fundamental mission of the 330th ASG was to keep the B-29s at Isely Field flying missions against Japan. This they did. Supported by the the 330th and the other three ASGs at Isely Field, the 73rd Bomb Wing dropped &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/b-29-aircraft\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/271"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=271"}],"version-history":[{"count":68,"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":715,"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/271\/revisions\/715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/330thasg.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}