b-29 crews 794th-795th bombardment squadrons 468th
TRANSCRIPT
The Story of The “Billy Mitchell Group” 468 H-Bomb Group – From the C.B.I. to the Marianas
© 2010 New England Air Museum. All rights reserved.
B-29 CREWS 794TH-795TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRONS
468TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP
PAFFORD CREW 2nd Lt. James B. Pafford Pilot 2nd Lt. Donald R. Billig Co-Pilot Tech. Sgt. Clyde E. Green Flight Engineer Master Sgt. James H. Hass Flight Engineer 2nd Lt. Aldo L. Falsetti Navigator 2nd Lt. Rex Jorgensen * Navigator 2nd Lt. Noel M. Norton Bombardier Cpl. Harry P. McHenry Radio Operator Cpl. Ralph P. Tender Central Fire Control Staff Sgt. George H. Mentzer Right Gunner Cpl. John J. Flood, Jr. Left Gunner Cpl. Bert Julian, Jr. Left Gunner Cpl. Joseph Rakovich * Tail Gunner Sgt. Michael J. Drensek * Radar Operator + Deceased Date of last change: May 7th 2007 * Supplied Information # Squadron Command Duties Jim Pafford reported by letter on April 4, 1995, his crew received their crew training at Clovis, NM during the summer of 1944. On Nov. 18, 1944, at Kearney, NB, this crew was assigned to shipping orders #FF-362-AD as crew #FF-362-AD-10. They were given B-29 #42-63460 at Kearney, NB. Joe Rakovich reported by letter on April 10, 1995, this airplane was bad luck from the start. The airplane lost a spark plug on their first slow time take off. On a later flight, someone forgot to replace a gas cap on the right wing, and they lost fuel on take off. Joe Rakovich reported Michael Drensek had a Catholic Priest perform blessings on the plane after some repairs were made, and before they left Morrison Field, FL about Nov. 28, 1944. The airplane carried the normal 2 extra fuel tanks in the front bomb bay, and a spare engine and crew baggage in the rear bomb bay. Again fuel leaked from the ring wing tank when it was determined the gas cap had not been replaced. At this time, they also experience a fire in the rear bomb bay. The crew proceeded to Kharagpur, India via South America, and Pakistan. They arrived at Salua, India about Dec. 13, 1944. This plane was reassigned to the 793rd Bomb Squadron, and called Pioneer II, and performed remarkable well. Lt. Frederick Corvinus, Co-Pilot on Major Andy Anderson crew flew as Pilot with Pafford's crew, and Pafford flew as Co-Pilot on Major Anderson's crew. Corvinus and Pafford's crew flew 8 missions in "Andy Dandy.” After those 8 missions, Pafford returned to his original crew, and flew in "My Gal Sal.” After those 8 missions, there were a number of crew replacements. Tech Sgt. Clyde Green, Flight Engineer, was replaced by Master Sgt. James H. Hass, and Jim Flood, Left Gunner, was replaced by Bert Julian. These replacements flew the remaining 22 missions with this crew. After flying missions in India and China in "My Gal Sal,” this crew was reassigned to West Field, Tinian in June 1945, Al Falsetti, Navigator, was replaced by Rex Jorgensen on Tinian.
The Story of The “Billy Mitchell Group” 468 H-Bomb Group – From the C.B.I. to the Marianas
© 2010 New England Air Museum. All rights reserved.
This crew flew missions to Japan until the end of the war, including 2 Prisoner of War missions. Pafford's crew in "My Gal Sal" flew a counter radar measure flights over Kure on July 1, Chi Ba on July 6, and Hachioji on Aug. 1, 1945. Each flight was 90 minutes over the target, for which each crew member received the Distinguish Flying Cross. Pafford's crew returned to the States on Oct. 20, 1945 in "My Gal Sal.” The crew arrived at Mather Field, Calif. on Oct. 23, 1945. Information was supplied by Rex Jorgensen, 4504 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310, (515) 277-9022 at Valley Forge reunion Sept. 1995.
(Yates Smith collection)
(A Rex Jorgensen photo)
Front Row L-R Rex Jorgenen Navigator Michael J. Drensek Left Gunner James H. Haas Flight Engineer Ralph P. Tender Central Fire Control Joseph Rakovich Tail Gunner Back Row L-R James B. Pafford Pilot Donald R. Billig Co-Pilot Noel M. Norton Bombardier Harry P. McHenry Radio Operator Bert Julian, Jr Radar Operator George H. Mentzer Right Gunner
The Story of The “Billy Mitchell Group” 468 H-Bomb Group – From the C.B.I. to the Marianas
© 2010 New England Air Museum. All rights reserved.
(Yates Smith collection)
(A Rex Jorgensen photo)
Joe Rakovich and Mike Drensek with two Chinese soldiers. Photo taken in China in Fall of 1944.
The Story of The “Billy Mitchell Group” 468 H-Bomb Group – From the C.B.I. to the Marianas
© 2010 New England Air Museum. All rights reserved.
(Yates Smith collection)
(A Rex Jorgensen photo)
Lt. James Pafford’s crew. Photo probably taken in the United States, 1944. Top Row L-R 2nd Lt. James B. Pafford Pilot 2nd Lt. Donald R. Billig Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Noel M. Norton Bombardier 2nd Lt. Aldo L. Falsetti Navigator T/Sgt. Clyde E. Green Flight Engineer Cpl. Harry P. McHenry Radio Operator Bottom Row L-R Sgt. Michael J. Drensek Left Gunner Cpl. Ralph P. Tender Central Fire Control S/Sgt. George H. Metzger Right Gunner Cpl. John J. Flood, Jr Radar Operator Cpl. Joseph Rakovich Tail Gunner