USS Swanson DD443
“Lifeguard” Duty
Ditching and
Rescue: First B-29 Mission to Tokyo

SURVIVORS FROM B-29 DITCHED
AT SEA AND RESCUED BY SWANSON ON
25 NOVEMBER 1944 AFTER
PARTICIPATING IN FIRST B-29 RAID ON
TOKYO. SHOWN HERE IN TENT ON
SAIPAN.
B-29 Crew in picture:
Cpl. Billy Weaver (on cot) Right blister gunner.
Seated left to right:
Staff Sgt. Raymond Kohler
Central fire control gunner.
Sgt. Charles Sears Radio Operator
Capt. Guice Tudor Airplane Commander
Tech. Sgt. Walter Deahl Tail gunner
Staff Sgt. Alfred Titone Radar operator
Standing – left to right:
Lt. Lawrence Novick Bombardier.
Lt. Robert Moeller Navigator
Lt. Russell Scott Pilot
Sgt. Simon Guevara Left blister gunner.
Lt. Charles Daniels Flight Engineer
RECOLLECTION
Robert E. Moeller 1989
After training at Smokey Hill Air Force Base in Salina,
Kansas our crew flying B-29 VO48 arrived on Saipan in the North Pacific Mariana
Islands, via Hawaii and Kwajalein, on November 154, 1944. The eleven men on the
crew were: Airplane Commander – Capt. Guice Tudor, Pilot – Lt. Russell Scott,
Bombardier – Lt. Lawrence Novick, Engineer – Lt. Charles Daniels, Radio – Sgt.
Charles Sears, Radar – Sgt. Alfred Titone, CFC Gunner – S/Sgt. Raymond Kohler,
Tail Gunner – T/Sgt. Walter Deahl, Left Gunner – Simon Guevera, Right Gunner –
Cpl. Billy Weaver, and Navigator – Lt. Robert Moeller.
Upon our arrival we learned that
several shakedown missions had been flown to Truck and Iwo Jima and everyone
was anxiously waiting for the first mission to Japan. We did not wait long. Two
days later on November 17th, we were briefed to take off early the
next morning on a mission to Nakajima Airplane Plant northwest of Tokyo. Capt.
William Chynoweth was assigned to go with our crew as an observer. However, for
the next week frustrations set in as we had daily cancellations due to bad
weather either at the target or Saipan. Finally on November 24th the
word “GO”. Shortly after dawn General
“Rosie” O’Donnell took off leading 111 B-29’s from the 73rd Bomb
Wing to Japan.
At the pre-flight briefing our
plane was assigned to fly with another squadron in our group. In order to
conserve fuel after taking off in the heavily loaded planes we flew a loose
nine-plane formation at low altitude for over four hours. Then, after climbing
to about 20,000 feet our engines overheated and we fell behind with two other
B-29’s experiencing the same problem. The other six planes continued on the
scheduled flight plan. After the engines cooled we climbed to a 31,000-foot
bombing altitude on the right wing of the leader of our three-plane formation.
Ahead we soon spotted the coast of Japan, and our initial point Mr.Fujiyama
sticking up through the heavy clouds. We donned our flak suits and prepared for
action.
After passing over Mr. Fujiyama
on our bombing heading we found enemy opposition was lighter than expected with
most of the flak and fighters below our altitude. As we approached the target
we opened our bomb bay doors, but for some unknown reason the lead B-29 failed
to drop its bombs as we passed over the target. Then with the bomb bay doors
open, we followed the lead B-29 of our three-plane formation around the Tokyo
area for almost an hour. Finally, because of high fuel consumption our plane
dropped its bombs over Tokyo and headed back to Saipan.
The first few hours of our return
flight were uneventful with ho hint of any problem. By nightfall we were a
little more than an hour from Saipan when one engine coughed and quit – out of
gas. A short time later when we were northwest of Pagan Island, which was still
occupied by Japanese troops, a second engine ran out of fuel. Capt. Tudor
decided to ditch while we still had control and power from two engines.
The crew was ordered to take
their ditching positions with five men in the front of the plane and seven in
the gunners’ compartment behind the bomb bay. I stuffed maps in my flight
jacket and climbed through the tunnel over the bomb bays and seated myself with
my back to the bulkhead next to Deahl who was standing. Everyone in the
compartment remained calm as we approached the water. I recall the plane
skipping smoothly three times over the swells and thinking this was going to be
easy when all hell broke loose. The plane broke in half right where we were
sitting and everyone except Deahl , who climbed out of a hatch onto the top of
the fuselage, was swept under the plane into the water. As I went down I felt
jagged metal, bodies, and shoes, and remember paddling frantically to reach the
surface.
When I regained my senses and got
my Mae West life preserver inflated I saw several of the crew on top of the
front half of the plane, which was floating horizontally. They were releasing
life rafts and emergency containers. I recall thinking it looked like a scene
from a Hollywood movie. I tried to swim to the plane but because of all
clothing and gear I wore I kept getting carried further away by six to eight
foot swells. Finally, while keeping a desperate grip on the life preserver, I
stripped off my flight jacket, .45 pistol and holster, GI shoes, webbed belt
with knife and canteen, my flight suit, and shirt and pants. By this time,
whenever the full moon shone through the about fifty percent cloud cover, I
could see the front end of the plane-floating nose down about two to three
hundred yards away.
I decided my only chance to be
rescued was to swim to the plane and hope the survivors were close by in life
rafts. For the next couple of hours I swam using 100 strokes and resting for a
count of fifty until I got near the plane and saw two life rafts. They heard my
yells and paddled towards me. After being alone in the water for three and a
half hours I was mighty happy to jump in the raft and learn everyone was aboard
with no major injuries.
The night in the raft seemed
endless. We were cold and all of us suffered from bouts of seasickness. When
dawn arrived our cuts and bruises were treated with sulfa and we had some water
from the emergency supplies in the life raft. We also learned the Pacific sun
was very hot and uncomfortable. That may account for why Capt. Tudor jumped
into the water and immediately jumped back into the raft without explanation.
During the morning we cranked our
emergency radio transmitter and flashed mirrors at a couple of planes off in
the distance in an unsuccessful attempt to attract their attention. We were not
overly concerned about being found because Sears had radioed our position
before we ditched. It was not until after we were rescued that we learned that
our ditching location had not been received.
About mid-morning a Marine B-25 that was returning from
bombing Iwo Jima spotted our B-29 that was still floating nose down nearby.
Their plane circled us a few times to let us know they had our position. Later
we learned the co-pilot had been dozing, woke up and saw our plane in the
water. Otherwise we might never have been found as our B-29 sank soon after. In
a short time a couple of Navy seaplanes flew over but were unable to land in
the heavy swells. Later Air Force P-47’s circled us until afternoon. Then we
were thrilled to see a ship approaching us over the horizon, which we soon
learned was the destroyer USS Swanson.
I well remember the Swanson
bobbing in the heavy swells as it stopped next to our rafts. As we boarded by
rope nets over the side, one moment the rail would be down close to water level
and the next twenty feet above us. What a welcome relief as eager Navy hands
helped pull us aboard.
We all thanked the captain,
officers and crew of the Swanson for coming to our rescue. It seemed they could
not do enough for our bedraggled B-29 crew. The ship’s medic attended to our
cuts and bruises, and the officers and crew provided us with bunks for much
needed rest, clothing, an excellent meal, and generally catered to our every
whim. I was greatly impressed by a tour of the Swanson, which showed the
outstanding fighting capabilities of this magnificent ship that seems to fly as
it cut through the water at high speed.
After several hours of royal
treatment the Swanson arrived in Saipan Harbor. We repeated our thanks as we
said our goodbyes and boarded a launch, which took us ashore after a day and a
half of events we will never forget.
Upon landing we were happy to
learn that only one other B-29 had been lost after being rammed by a fighter
over Tokyo. With the exception of Capt. Tudor and Cpl. Weaver, who were
replaced by Capt. Westbrook and Pvt. Pinello, our B-29 crew remained together.
We became a lead crew and flew twenty-six missions to Japan.
We shall remain forever grateful
to the officers and crew of the USS Swanson for rescuing us.
Printed in “Destroyer at
War!” and was contributed by Lt.
Robert E Moeller
Honorary Crew Member of the USS
Swanson DD443 Association.
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