Personal Story of
David Frederick McNeley
This is David’s story, David
Frederick McNeley, my brother. It is also the story of his crew, one of the
“old crews” of the 58th Bomb Wing,” those who were first to fly
their B-29 Superfortresses against
**************
They had been training
together at
He sent the photo of that
crew in a letter dated July 2. 1944:
We
had our crew picture taken in front of our airplane today, which I will send
when it is developed. Enclosed is a picture of our former crew taken at
Front
Row: Radio Op: T/Sgt. Leo Sopata;
Right Gun-Sgt. Earl R. Sjodin; CFC-Sgt. David F. McNeley;
Tail Gun-Cpl. William M.
Mandelin; Left Gun-Sgt. Hershell O. Barrett
Back
Row: Co-pilot-Lt. Walter L. Mitchell;
Pilot-Capt. Carl T. Hull, Jr.; Bombardier-Lt. Kenneth
Alexander; Navigator-Lt. Anthony J.
Marinaccio; Engineer-Flight Officer Paul M. Clark
The letter went on to say:
Boy,
I’m really seeing the world, have been to
And then it continued, with a
hint for us:
I
can’t think of anything more to say, except that I’m well and happy and
that Jim might be pleased to know that I am a member of the catipiller (sic)
club, know what it is?
Jim was only 10 years old but
knew what his big brother was hinting at; he had bailed out of an airplane, the
flying creature becoming a land-based one, a kind of reversal of the
metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly.
There was no explanation
given for the crew changes or anything more about having to parachute out of
his plane. It was 55 years before we learned about two plane crashes, one
ending in the loss of six of the eleven original crew members, the other
telling the story of his bail-out.
It was on May 18, 1944, less
than two weeks after they had arrived in
Retaining just enough fuel
for the return trip, they took off from
First to go was the tail
gunner, S/Sgt Buck Blake. In opening his emergency hatch, preparing for the
bail-out, he had disconnected his intercom. Afraid that he would not hear the
order to jump, he did not wait for the order but “just went.” He landed near a
village, breaking his leg. Not knowing if the natives would think he was
Japanese, he pulled his gun to defend himself. However, when they did not come
at him with weapons he concluded they were friendly. By 10:00 p.m. they had put
him on a train which took him to an army hospital operated by the British,
somewhere on the
The other gunners left next,
by the rear entrance door of the rear compartment of the plane. Hershall
Barrett went first, then David. Robert Snow was last. They landed a few miles
from a village, later identified as
After the co-pilot and
gunners had left, Major Wagnon kept trying to find a place to land. Finally,
after the two outboard engines were out of fuel, the Navigator, 1/Lt. Helmer
Hansen, the Bombardier, 1/Lt. Loyd Burchan, and Radio Operator T/Sgt. Tom Drew
all bailed out together. Flight Engineer, M/Sgt. Alvin Lebsack set the gas
pumps working and Major Wagnon put the plane on course for the hills before
they also jumped from the flight deck.
This last group all got together
on the ground sometime after dark. Natives were hired to guide them and to
carry their chutes and jackets. They followed a railroad track west and south,
eating bananas and the food in their survival kits. After following the tracks
and sleeping alongside them for two days, they were led to a British Army camp.
It was part of the supply group that provided for Stillwell’s forces and the
The British drove them about
20 miles to a small railroad station where they bought first class tickets.
After riding for the next twenty four hours, eating food the British had given
them, they arrived at a base on the border between India and Burma, about seven
hundred and fifty miles northeast of Calcutta. Col. Kalberer, their Squadron
commander, met them in a large single engine airplane and flew them back to
their base on May 27. 3
While David and Hershall
Barrett were earning their right to join the Caterpillar Club, Captain Hull,
known as “Shorty Hull,” and the rest of their regular crew were assigned to a
training flight. It was May 24 when Capt. Hull attempted to take off. The
wheels were just off the ground when the No. 4 engine failed and the plane
stalled, crashed, and caught fire. Some of the crew tried to get out of the
upper forward astro dome but found the heat of the fire had sealed the round
rubber gasket which held it in. They escaped by using their 45's to shoot out
the blisters. Co-Pilot Mitchell, Right Gunner Earl Sjodin and the two gunners who
had taken David and Hershall Barrett’s positions, were all killed. Flight
Engineer Tony Marinaccio and Navigator Kenneth Alexander were so badly injured
they were returned to the States. The rest of the crew were injured and
hospitalized.4 The replacement gunners who lost their lives were
Lyle D. Brunson, CFC gunner, replacing David and Bazel E. Hughes, Left Gun,
replacing Hershell. David A. Eldon, who was apparently with the crew as Radar
Operator in Weinbauer’s absence, was injured, as was a “visitor,” Anthony P.
Romand.
When David and Hershall
returned to base they found the surviving members of their crew in the
hospital. With five of the eleven-member crew dead or severely injured, a new
crew had to be assembled. It included only six from the original group that had
left Walker Field:
I
found out that our navigator (Lt. Van Horn) comes from
Flight Officer Paul Clark
was flying with Col. Richard Carmichael’s crew on August 20, 1944 when their
plane was hit by an aerial bomb during the mission to
After the loss of Paul Clark,
Charley Blackburn became their Flight Engineer. PHOTO OMITTED
Only occasionally did David’s
letters specifically mention a mission that he had flown. In a letter dated
Sept. 12 he wrote:
[Have]
just gotten back from a trip over the hump . . . You can find out more about me
by reading the papers.
He was referring to what
happened after a Sept. 8 raid on
Two months later he mentioned
action during a mission for the first time:
Nov. 26. 1944
Dear
Folks:
I’m
very sorry that I haven’t written sooner but, I’ve been fairly busy. Our crew
was on the last Omura mission, and I really enjoyed it. The Japs threw up every
thing but it wasn’t enuff.
We have learned what happened
on that mission, from a citation for Captain Hull that was posted on the
Internet early in 2003:
“The
Silver Star was awarded to Captain Carl T. Hull, Jr. for ‘outstanding gallantry
in action while pilot of an aircraft which was participating in combat
operations against enemy installations at Omura,
Displaying
great heroism and utter disregard for personal safety, Captain Hull with great
skill and resolution voluntarily flew as protective cover for the damaged
airplane, shielding it from many of the savage and closely pressed attacks
until such time as it flew into an undercast. His coolness and refusal to
abandon a comrade was an inspiration to all. Such disregard for personal safety
and conspicuous gallantry in action is in keeping with the highest traditions
of the Army Air Forces, and reflects great credit upon Captain Hull and XX
Bomber Command." [Need source.]
Writing on December 3, David
announced:
About
a week ago, we had a parade, and Maj. General Curtis LeMay (our Boss) personally
presented a few of us with the Air Medal. That is given for completing 100
hours of combat flying. I will send or bring this medal home in the near or
late future.
Recognition of the award to
David and four others was published in a favorite column of those days:
PHOTO OF BELIEVE IT OR NOT COLUMN OMITTED
After nearly a year in
Fresh B-29 crews had arrived
on Tinian, Guam, and Saipan in January and had been carrying out bombing raids
on
The only mission about which
we know the details was their last one, June 5, 1945, a fire raid on
From the Missing Air Crew
Report, we know how the plane was shot down, as described in a witness
statement by Pfc. James L. Bucklin:
I
was left gunner in aircraft No. l329, which was flying #7 ship in the
formation. After we had left the target and were heading for the turning point,
aircraft No. 44-69965 [
“As
they made the first turn away from the target, #965 was still close enough to
receive protection from us. The fighter attack at this point was very
concentrated. As we made our turn toward the coast, #965 was approximately 800
yards out at 7 o’clock from our ship. Our altitude at that time was 15,500
true. About two or three minutes from the second turn, two Nicks worked around
the formation and attacked #965. Several coordinated attacks were executed by
them.
“A
smoldering fire had existed on #965's number two engine up to this time. After
the fighter attacks, #965 began to blaze fiercely and it was evident that the
ship would not make it. I saw three chutes open up. Then a great sheet of flame
enveloped #965 and the left wing fell off. Both wing and plane were burning as they
tumbled toward the earth. Five more chutes opened in a bunch, making a total of
eight (8). Shortly afterward the ship hit the ground and exploded.”
The first report of the crash
gave the location as 35 miles southeast of the target, which would
have been on land, ESE of
Osaka. However, Japanese eye witness reports on the ground tell
a different story, as we
shall see.
The telegram did not come
until July 2nd, and the news article announcing it was published
in the Des Moines Tribune July 5, 1945. It was just the first in a series
of news clippings that marked the long wait for news of those who were missing-in-action.
They reflect the growing despair of the families that waited for news of their
fate.
Posthumous medals were presented
to Benton in March, 1947 and to David in February, 1947, as below:
The fate of Benton and others
who had been taken prisoner was published in the Des Moines Register Sept 1,
1948:
The
press release obtained from the Des Moines Register did not list David among
the 55 who had been executed as the war ended. Besides Benton Van Horn it did
list several of the other crew members. The list was composed for the War
Crimes Trials using information then available, and was later found to have
contained several errors.
Benton
Van Horn’s body was one of five found in Sanadayama Military Cemetery Grave 3, a group known to have been executed August 15 or 16,
1945, as the war was ending. He was identified by his ID bracelet which had his
name on the outside and on the inside, “Love - Dad Mother Shorty Ellen” His
body was sent home for burial in September, 1949.
David was finally identified
as one of those who had been taken prisoner and, like
The story of the loss of
“Shorty”
“...
Major Carl T. ”Shorty Hull . . . had already completed his 35th
mission and was grounded until (General)
“Vaucher
was heartsick about
The crew, however, was not
immediately executed, although that did occur in other cases and was what the
Japanese had warned would happen to B-29 crews if they were captured. The truth
about the crew’s fate is documented in testimony taken in connection with the
Tokyo War Crimes Trials. That story follows, summarized from several sworn
statements by eye witnesses.
INVESTIGATION OF INDIVIDUAL CASE #405
B-29 Crash Near Nu Island on 5 June 1945
23 May 1946
1.
Between 12 April and 17 May 1946, an investigation was conducted on individual
case # 405, which is connected with the Osaka Kempei Tai case. . . .The
following information was obtained regarding the crash and subsequent events.
2.
At approximately 2250 hours on5 June 1945 a B-29 crashed about one mile east of
Nu Island in
3.
Survivors – Five crew members parachuted from the plane and landed in
None
of the fliers was injured.
That
night the fliers slept at the Yura Kempei Tai and next morning, 7 June 1945,
between 0600 and 0700 hours, the five fliers left for
4.
Identity of the Plane - - the plane was identified by two means; First, the
Missing Air Crew Reports listed B-29 No. 44-69965 as having crashed on 5 June
1945 about 35 Miles Southwest of Kobe. (Note the corrected direction from
Following Is a Complete List of the
Crew:
1. Pilot
2. Co-pilot Moser,
Cletus W 1st
Lt
3. Navigator Van
Horn,
4. Bombardier Stewart, Oliver M 1st Lt
5. Flight Engr
6. Radio Op. Drew,
Thomas O T/Sgt
7. Radar Op. Weinbauer,
Arthur H S/Sgt
8. CFC Mcnaley (Sic), David F T/Sgt
9. Right Gunner Barrett,
Hershell D S/Sgt
10. Left Gunner Zinn,
John N S/Sgt
11. Tail Gunner Clemens, James H
S/Sgt
5.
Disposition of the dead – the six crew members who were not picked up in life
rafts must have been killed in the crash or else drowned afterwards. To date no
evidence of them has been found, and it is doubtful that any will be found. At
present it seems safe to assume that everyone beside the five survivors
mentioned in Par. 3 above were killed in the crash or shortly afterwards.
6.
No evidence of mistreatment of the five survivors was obtained up to the time they
were turned over to the Osaka Kempei Tai Headquarters.
Because eight parachutes had
been seen to leave the plane, it was later concluded that three must have
gone down with the plane in
A group of three parachutes
had been seen leaving the plane, in addition to the group of five that landed
near Nu Island, leading to the conclusion that the remaining three apparently
drowned.
Identification of the two
captured noncoms was possible because of a remarkable letter from Kiyoji Nakamura,
written to General Macarthur in January 1948:
I
express my sincere appreciation to the United States Government and to General
Macarthur.
During
the war, I was a policeman of Hyogo Ken, Awajishima, Yura.
After
the war, upon being discharged from the Police Force, I moved into the address
indicated on the envelope. I am worried about the welfare of the men who
survived the wreck of the B-29 which flew over
About
1330 Hours on 6 Jun 45, after a raid over
At Yura Fortress, after a brief investigation, a meal was to be prepared for them, but, having no mess funds, I talked with the Fortress Commander about securing wheat meal and side dishes from the villagers. The Fortress Commander gave fruits to the crew members who had by then lost all desire to fight.
(1) Date and Time of Bombing: 1045 Hours, 6 June 45. (An Error: it was 5 June)
(2) Date and time of Capture: 1300 Hours, 6 June 45.
(3) Names of Crew Members:
1st Lt. Banaton Fuwasunebanki, 25 Years Old.
M/Sgt. Atsu Hichibawain, 23 Years Old.
Radar Operator Jon Unugin, 23 Years Old.
Haseru De Bazetto, 28 Years Old.
M.Sgt. Gunner Rabitto Efu Mekumeri, 20 Years Old.
The other six members presumably drowned.
1
The
above five persons were taken to the Osaka MP Headquarters by Kura MP
Detachments, 7 Jun 45.
According
to the MPs, there were in
The above facts are given for your information,
1[2?] Jan 48
Ajiko 214[?]
Nakamura, Kiyoji
Although the five were now
known to have been captured, their bodies had not been found in any of the
known graves of prisoners. It was not until yet another witness came forward
that a hidden grave was located.
Oliver Stewart’s family heard
about their son’s fate in December, 1951 when his father received the first
communication from the War Department since 1945. His son’s body had been
identified as one that had washed up on shore about 20 July 1945, at Kannoura
Machi, Aki District. The grave was marked with a board bearing the inscription
in Japanese characters, “American airman killed in action.”
The date on the following
article was not noted when David’s family clipped it from the
The group of prisoners was
then linked to a group that had been executed on or about August 5, 1945. They
were taken in two groups of seven fliers, one-half hour apart, to the Jonan
rifle range, adjacent to the headquarters of the Fifteenth Area Imperial
Japanese Army at
In November 1951 David’s body
was identified as one of those in that mass grave. The graves registration
experts had previously identified all but one of the five from
Today the site of the Jonan
Rifle Range is a field where boys play baseball, adjacent to a
Research and Text by Neysa
McNeley Picklum;
Graphics and website created
and formatted by Claradell Shedd; 12/30/09