|  |
|
| |
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USAAF 20th AF 462nd BG 768th BS |
Aircraft Commander Lt Col. Donald A. Roush, O-408851 (MIA / KIA) Custer City, OK Pilot Major John S. Slack, Jr., O-349196 (MIA / KIA) New Orleans, LA Co-Pilot 1st Lt Urban H. Richter, O-808592 (MIA / KIA) IA Navigator Captain Oliver “Puffer” B. Eisan, O-443080 (MIA / KIA) Saint Helena, CA Bombardier 1st Lt Wilbur R. Boseling, O-669175 (MIA / KIA) Queens, NY Radar 1st Lt Homer Gordon (MIA / KIA) Cuyahoga County, OH Radio TSgt James P. Buchanan Jr. (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Right Gunner SSgt Robert E. Tobias (MIA / KIA) Dauphin County, PA Left Gunner SSgt John B. Mackinaw (MIA / KIA) Jefferson County, AL Central Fire Control Sgt Franklin M. Brown (MIA / KIA) Buchanan County, IA Tail Gunner SSgt Lawrence A. Byrne (MIA / KIA) Huntingdon, PA Crashed January 6, 1945 MACR 11298 Aircraft History Built by Martin-Omaha. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29-20-MO Superfortress serial number 42-65254. Wartime History Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), 462nd Bombardment Group (462nd BG), 768th Bombardment Squadron (768th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-3350-23A serial numbers DW-202199, DW-202302, DW-202348 and DW-202258. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers unknown. Mission History On January 6, 1945 took off from Chiung-Lai Airfield (A-5) near Chengtu in China piloted by aircraft commander Lt Col. Donald A. Roush on a bombing mission against Omura in Japan. The weather was an undercast at roughly 12,000'. After the bomb run, this B-29 was targeted by a Japanese fighter that made a single firing pass from one o'clock and shot out the no. 2 and no. 3 engines and wounded the bombardier slightly. Damaged, this B-29 began to lag behind and the formation that slowed to 160 mph to try to stay together. Unable to keep up, 15 minutes away from the target, a fire began on the right wing between the no. 3 and no. 4 engines and the crew radioed they would bail out. The B-29 was last seen in a vertical banl and entered clouds. No parachutes were seen by others in the formation. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. Roush earned the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the court 7. Roush also has a memorial marker at Clinton City Cemetery in Clinton, OK at plot 4-133. Slack earned the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the court 7. Richter earned the Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Eisan earned the Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Boseling earned Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Gordon earned the Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross DFC) with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Buchanan earned Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Tobias earned Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Mackinaw earned Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Brown earned Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Byrne earned Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-29-20-MO Superfortress 42-65254 "65254 (462nd BG, 768th BS) lost in action over Japan while on mission to Omura Apr 6, 1945. MACR 11298. All 11 crew killed." Missing Air Crew Report 11298 (MACR 11298) created January 11, 1945 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald A. Roush FindAGrave - LtCol Donald Archerd Roush (photos, courts of the missing) FindAGrave - LTC Donald Archerd Roush (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John S. Slack, Jr. FindAGrave - Maj John Stewart Slack Jr. (photo, courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Urban H. Richter FindAGrave - Maj John Stewart Slack Jr. (photos, news) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Oliver B. Eisan FindAGrave - 1Lt Urban Hugo Richter (photo, courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wilbur R. Boseling FindAGrave - 1Lt Wilbur R Boseling (photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - 1Lt Homer Gordon FindAGrave - Homer Gordon (photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James P. Buchanan Jr. FindAGrave - TSGT James P Buchanan Jr. (photos) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert E. Tobias FindAGrave - Robert E. Tobias (photos, courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John B. Mackinaw FindAGrave - John B. Mackinaw (courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Franklin M. Brown FindAGrave - SGT Franklin Michael Brown (photo, courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SGT Franklin Michael Brown (photo, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lawrence A. Byrne FindAGrave - SSGT Lawrence A Byrne (photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 4, 2025
|
 B-29  MIA 11 Missing |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
