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While
it is not known when this crew was formed, it is known
that at least two of its members were crewed together
at Lincoln in October 1944 - 2nd Lt Hammond D. Sadler
and S/Sgt Charles E. Jackson.
The
crew had 13 missions from June - August that included
Osaka, Shizuoka, Kofu, Tokyo and a POW supply drop (Kanagawa
Camp), in addition a 30 September mission to Korea was
flown.
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Crew 40 ditching using Google Earth
Courtesy of George Savidis |
On
03 October 1945, during a transition and flight training
mission, which are flown to keep the crews and airplanes
in a state of readiness for whatever situation may occur,
9 members of Crew 40, Capt Devine, 2nd Lt Sadler, 1st
Lt Bowman, M/Sgt Courtney, S/Sgt Jackson, S/Sgt Venturelli,
S/Sgt Hero, S/Sgt Martinez, Sgt Russell and 1 member of
Crew 36, 1st Lt Hickey, the aircraft they were flying
(B-29 SN 44-69792) developed engine trouble and ditched
at sea. Of the 10 men aboard S/Sgt Charles E. Jackson,
Radio Operator, was the only survivor and one body that
of M/Sgt John W. Courtney, FE, was recovered.
In
a letter to the family of 2nd Lt Hammond Sadler's family
dated 12 October 1945, S/Sgt Jackson describes the account.
"On
the last fight it was a routine training flight in which
we was to first fly some instrument time and then start
some landings. We had been airborne for approximately
one hour and half when we developed the trouble. Our
altitude was around 2000 ft and our position was eight
miles east of Aguijan, a small island almost due south
of Tinian.
The
first trouble we had occurred a minute or two after
twelve. That caused us to feather # 2 engine, almost
immediately afterwards # 1 engine developed a bad oil
leak and caught on fire. That left us with almost a
full load of gas, a very bad fire, and two engines out
on the same side. The ship then lost attitude quite
rapidly and we attempted to ditch it at sea. Instead
of having a successful ditching we flew right into the
water, went straight over on our back, and the fire
spread everywhere. Also by the time I managed to clear
it had sunk from sight minimizing anyone's chance for
escape. The accident occurred at nine minutes after
twelve so you can see how fast we developed the trouble
and crashed.
The
area was well searched after the crash and I can assure
you that if he had of been able to get out of the plane
that he would have been picked up"
1st
Lt Roland E. Cedarholm was unable to fly because of stomach
virus didn't fly this mission. In his place, 1st Lt Robert
L. Hickey was flying as Radar Officer on this flight.
Also from a letter sent to the Sadler Family, by a friend
of Lt Sadler's who was a Marine station on Guam at Agana
at the time, his letter related a similar account.
In a letter from USMC Cpl Robert Mathers to 2nd Lt Hammond
Sadler's family dated 7 October 1945, it mentioned that
Crew 40's bombardier, 1st Lt Edward L. Cox, was not on
this flight as he was headed stateside for discharge.
The current status of Cox is unknown.
In
December 2001, Christine Prince, Granddaughter of S/Sgt
Jackson, provided the names of the enlisted men. She also
related "I
recall my grandfather stating that after he had escaped
from the wreckage and was in the water, he saw Courtney
trying to jump off the other end of the plane only to,
sadly, be consumed by fire. The same ship that picked
my grandfather up also picked up the body of Courtney.
He was apparently so badly burned that my grandfather
was only able to identify him by his feet".
Bernie
Greene, Bombardier, recalls Crew
31 was on same training mission, after VJ-Day as P-40
and saw Devine's wreckage burning in the water. Bob Hickey,
P-36, was flying with Devine's crew as was Sgt.Courtney,
who he believes both lost their lives. Some one may have
survived though, he remembers a NCO coming to their quonset
hut that they shared with P-36, and talking to P-31's
AC, Hank Snow, thanking him for the part his crew played
in sending a distress call with the position of the crash.
He also notes that 2nd Lt Hammond Sadler was the pilot
on P-40.
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