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.