42-24452         B29

 

On 27 November 1944, a B-29, # 42-24452, “Devil May Care,” assigned to 20th Air Force, 40th Bomb Group, 57th Bomb Squadron, and fourteen othe B-29s departed the airfield at Chakulia, India, on a bombing mission over Bangkok, Thailand (aka Siam). Last radio contact was at about 0649Z 130 miles south of Chittagong, Burma. The B-29s were deployed from Chakulia Army Air Force Base to attack the Bangsue Marshalling Yards of Bangkok, Thailand. Thirteen planes returned safely to Chakulia and one, aircraft #452, proceeded to Chittagong (Bangladesh) after losing #4 engine. Leaving the primary target, the pilot of aircraft #452, Lt Carl E. Blackwell, radioed the formation commander that he had wounded personnel aboard due to the fighter attack and that he could not close his bomb bay doors. Enroute back to Chakulia, he asked permission to proceed to Chittagong. The formation commander asked if there were any major mechanical difficulties or shortage of gasoline and was assured there were none, that #452 had plenty of gas and that no escort was needed. Permission was given and #452 left the formation. The crew were:

 

                                                 Pilot                             1stLt Carl E. Blackwell            0-663470

                                                 Co-Pilot                       2ndLt Vern H. Hunnell           0-766833

                                                 Navigator                    1stLt William H. Webster        0-673702

                                                 Bombardier                  2ndLt John G. Gettler             0-690405

                                                 Engineer                      2ndLt Robert J. Fancher          0-556597

                                                 Radio Operator            SSgt William J. Gabriel            35037518

                                                 Radar Operator            Sgt William T. Stone                17127326

                                                 Senior Gunner             Cpl Carson E. Cole                  36899345

                                                 Right Waist Gunner     Sgt Bernard Roth                     32810102

                                                 Left Waist Gunner       Sgt Robert McCormick            35630239

                                                 Tail Gunner                 Sgt Lo e Powers                       10160365

The next-of-kin listed were:

                                       Webster           Aline S. Webster, W, 20512 Logan Ave, Royal Oak, Mich.

                                        Blackwell         Nadine H Blackwell, W, Lexington, OK

                                        Hunnell           Rubie Hunnell, M, 1148 Emerson St, Sheridan, WY

                                        Gettler             Marian B. Gettler, M, 104-39 210th St, NY, NY

                                        Fancher           Imogene Fancher, W, 1407 Loomis St, La Crosse, Wisc.

                                        Gabriel            Wanda Gabriel, M, 5758 W. Berenice Ave, Chicago, IL

                                        Stone               Sarah F Stone, M 140 N. Oakley St, Kansas City, MO

                                        Roth                Lillian Roth, M, 155 E. 51st St, Brooklyn, NY

                                        Cole                 Dorothea L. Cole, W, 523 Jackson St, Wausau, Wisc.

                                        McCormick      Doris S. McCormick, W, 1130 McGlyne St, Hamilton, OH

                                        Powers             Emily V. Powers, W, 632 E Broadway St, Muskogee, OK

 

A well drawn map accompanies the MACR.