Maj Robert Johnson FitzGerald (1916-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

APC Pilot: O-403887Robert Johnson Fitzgerald Maj PA 17-MARCH-1945 B-29 #42-24849 Z-SQ-8

DURING THE NIGHT OF 16-17 MARCH 1945, MAJ ROBERT JOHNSON FITZGERALD FLEW AS THE AIRPLANE COMMANDER IN THE LEFT PILOT SEAT ABOARD BOEING B-29-50-BW (BOEING WICHITA) SUPERFORTRESS SERIAL #42-24849 NICKNAMED "MISSION TO ALBUQUERQUE" TAIL CODE Z-SQUARE-8, ASSIGNED TO THE 881ST BOMBER SQUADRON, 500TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VH), 73RD BOMB WING, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 20TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT ISELY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS.

Z-SQ-8 WAS ONE OF 307 B-29 AIRCRAFT DISPATCHED FROM THE XXI BOMBER COMMAND TO BOMBARD THE URBAN AREA OF KOBE, JAPAN.

ALL ABOARD WERE KIA: WHEN Z-SQ-8 WAS UNINTENTIONALLY RAMMED BY Captain Junichi Ogata FLYING A KAWASAKI Ki-61 Hien "Tony" FIGHTER OVER THE TARGET AREA ABOUT TWO MILES NORTH OF KOBE.

B29-#42-24849 | Missing-Air-Crew-Research-Japan-Network (macrj.net)

MACR 13079

Radio Operator-Mechanic (ROM): 32796605Algy Stanley Augunas SSgt NY B-29 #42-24849 Z-SQ-8

SSGT Algy Stanley Augunas (1922-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

RBG: 16141602John Thomas Barry, Jr. Sgt IL

SGT John Thomas Barry (1920-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

Flight Engineer: O-864716James Carlton Bond 1Lt MI

1LT James Carlton Bond (1920-1945) - Find a Grave Memorial

Bombardier: O-734874Erwin Aston Brousek 1Lt IL

1LT Erwin Anton Brousek (1915-1945) - Find a Grave Memorial

RADAR: 35598704Robert Dean Cookson SSgt OHIO

SSGT Robert Dean “Bob” Cookson (1922-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

Pilot (right seat): O-761044Robert Eugene Copeland 2Lt ID

2LT Robert E. Copeland (1924-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

LBG: 35654602John Lionell Cutler Sgt OHIO

SGT John Lionel Cutler (1924-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

CFC Ring Gunner: 17097498David William Holley Sgt IOWA

SGT David William Holley (Unknown-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

Navigator: O-703774Robert Watson Nelson 2Lt KS

2LT Robert Watson Nelson (1922-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

TGun: 34502727Ruben Austin Wray Sgt TN

SGT Ruben Austin Wray (1924-1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

NOTE: When General LeMay took command of XXI Bomber Command, he changed the tactics from high-altitude fragmentation bombing to low-altitude incendiary bombings. During the night of 9-10 March 1945, a total of 334 B-29 bombers took off for Operation MEETINGHOUSE to fire-bomb Tokyo. Fifteen square miles of the Tokyo urban area are burned out; an estimated 83,793 Japanese are killed and 40,918 wounded.

Robert J Fitzgerald