Ralph
Hayenga on Plane Shot Down by Japs on Target
Writes
Folks, Rev. and Mrs. L. F. Hayenga; Now in Hospital
in Pacific
Rev.
and Mrs. L. F. Hayenga received the following letter
from their son, Ralph who is a radar navigator on a
B-29. According to previous letters he has been in the
raids over Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe. This letter was
received Monday, June 11.
June 3, 1945
Dear Folks:
I just found out today that you either have already
or will in the near future, receive word from Uncle
Sam that your son has been wounded in action etc. So
to relieve your worries, I am writing this letter.
We were on a strike over Yokohama last Tuesday, May
29, when we were hit by flak directly over target. We
lost two engines immediately and were unable to hold
altitude. Knowing we had to set down in the water we
took all the necessary steps and then waited it out.
Our bomb bay doors had been shot open and on impact
with the water our ship broke in two. I was very fortunate
to be the only one to get out of the tail section we
were immediately submerged. When I got free of the ship
I was about 10 feet below water. Upon surfacing I discovered
two very disappointing facts. First the lie raft was
almost 100 yards from me, and secondly I had a broken
shoulder which I received when we hit. Realizing I hadn’t
made my bed for leaving home base the night before,
I just had to get to the raft, disregarding the shoulder,
I made the distance in recorded time. After helping
another man aboard the two of us joined the others in
their raft as ours was deflating fast.
By this time those of us who had survived were fairly
safe as we were together and had something to hang on
to. We (seven of us) spent the rest of the afternoon
mending our wounds and getting over the excitement.
That night was by far the worst night I’ve put
in my life. The sea was extremely rough and we were
constantly being capsized. To add to our misery it was
cold and it rained all night. Somehow we managed to
stay afloat but daylight brought only bigger waves and
more rain. The visibility was zero and even if we heard
a search plane we would have had no way to signal.
About noon it cleared up a little and we saw a plane
in the distance. Using every means of signalling we
could devise or muster, we were able to attract its
attention. It was some 4½ hours later that a
most beautiful sight appeared, a boat on the horizon.
My first thought was at last I’d get my shoulder
set. But when we were hauled aboard I found there was
no doctor there.
The navy did a wonderful job and made us as comfortable
as they could. They seemed happier to have saved us
that we were to be saved, but I assure you, they could
never have won the argument.
After a few days onboard, we docked on good old Terra
firma and I got my shoulder put in a cast, which explains
this illegible writing.
I am sorry to have to be so vague of details. It would
make a much better story but you realize that Uncle
Sam’s censors object.
It was quite an experience, one I will not soon forget,
This morning to pass the time, I began reading a Popular
Science Magazine here in the hospital. I was extremely
interested in an article “Why the Japanese Ach
Ach Cannot be Accurate” I was sorry I didn’t
read the article last Monday night.
Your
son,
Ralph
