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  B-29A-10-BN Superfortress Serial Number 42-93893  
USAAF
20th AF
9th BG
1st BS

MIA / POW
USAAF 1945
Pilot 1st Lt. Raymond F. Malo, O-675100 (MIA / KIA) Danville, IL
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Edwin Mockler, O-827816 (MIA / MIA) Park Falls, WI
Navigator  2nd Lt. Bernard S. Bennison, O-520247 (MIA / KIA, BR) Sausalito, CA
Bombardier  2nd Lt. Leo R. Eschman, O-927490 (MIA / KIA) Warren, OH
Engineer  TSgt George T. Carr, 19071381 (MIA / KIA) Bozeman, MN
Radio  SSgt James G. Cox, 17125015 (MIA / KIA) Merriam, KS
CFC  SSgt Allan K. Hill, 19190662 (POW, died MIA / KIA) Eureka, CA
Left Gunner  Sgt James J. O'Neil, 33420433 (MIA / KIA) Pittsburgh, PA
Radar-Gunner  Sgt John Casara, 36692262 (MIA / KIA, BR) Chicago, IL
Tail Gunner  Sgt Walter R. Odgers, 13127876 9th BG, 5th BS (MIA / KIA) Avoca, PA
Right Gunner  Cpl Kenneth E. Logan, 36756060 (MIA / KIA, BR) Elmwood Park, IL
MIA  April 15, 1945
MACR  14278

Aircraft History
Built by Boeing in Renton, Washington. Constructors Number 7300. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29A-10-BN Superfortress serial number 42-65280. Ferred overseas to North Field on Tinian Island.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), 9th Bombardment Group (9th BG), 1st Bombardment Squadron (1st BS). No known nickname or nose art.

When lost, engines DW 203765, DW 201310, DW 201274 and DW 201366. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers unknown serial numbers 1297160, 1299927, 1266027, 1265894, 1299350, 1541225, 1038141 and 1288702.

Mission History
On April 15, 1945 took off from North Field on Tinian piloted by 1st Lt. Raymond F. Malo as one of 194 B-29s on an incendiary bombing mission (Mission 68) against Kawasaki in Japan. The weather was 4/10 cumulus cloud base at 1,800' with wind 60° at 15 knots with visibility over 15 miles. For unknown reasons, crashed into the sea off Hashirimizu in Kanagawa Prefecture bordering Tokyo Bay. When this bomber failed to return the entire crew was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Only Sgt Allan K. Hill managed to bail out before the crash.

According to Missing Air Crew Report 14278 (MACR 14278) page 3, on April 15, 1945 at 6:10am, Cpl Herman J. Meyers from the 77th Service Group ground station believed they heard a QUG (I am forced to land immediately) transmission from Victor 12. Although unconfirmed, it might have been from this aircraft.

Fates of the Crew
Sole survivor, Sgt Allan K. Hill managed to bail out and landed safely. He was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) but never officially reported and was detained at Tokyo Military Prison. During the night of May 25, 1945 to May 26, 1945 a large formation of 464 B-29s bombed the urban area of Tokyo causing huge fires that burned the Tokyo Military Prison killing many detained Americans including Hill. Afterwards, the remains of the prisoners killed in the fire were buried in a mass grave marked with white crosses. Despite his remains being buried, he remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
Afterwards, the search for this missing bomber was coordinated by Lt. Commander Gilbert L. Congeon, U.S. Navy liaison officer assigned to the 313th Bomb Wing, Air Sea Rescue. It is unknown if any specific search missions were ever flown to search for this bomber or the crew.

Recovery of Remains
Postwar, the remains of at least crew members Bennison, Casara and Logan were recovered and transported to the United States for permanent burial.

Memorials
The crew (with the exception of Hill) were officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing. Malo, Mockler, Eschman, Carr, Cox, Hill and O'Neil on court 7.

Malo earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Mockler earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Nola Cemetery, Park Falls, WI.

Bennison Fort Snelling National Cemetery at C-6, 0, 8163.

Eschman has a memorial marker at Saint Marys Cemetery in Warren, OH.

Hill earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He died in the fire at the Tokyo Military Prison on May 26, 1945 and afterwards his remains were buried at the prison in a mass grave marked with a white cross. Despite his remains being buried, he remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Eschman earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Casara has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States.

Odgers earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Abington Hills Cemetery in South Abington, PA.

Logan earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He was buried at Rock Island National Cemetery at section E, site 139.

References
Previously, on March 4, 1945 pilot 1st Lt. Raymond Malo piloting B-29 "Dina Might" 42-65280 made the first emergency landing at Motoyama No. 1 Airfield (South Field) on Iwo Jima.
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Allan K. Hill
NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list Hill as an official POW
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-29A-10-BN Superfortress 42-93893
"93893 (9th BG, 1st BS) crashed from unknown cause in sea near Hashirimizu Kanagawa, Japan Apr 15, 1945 while on mission to Kawasaki, Japan. MACR 14278. 10 crew killed, one bailed out and became POW."
Missing Air Crew Report 14278 (MACR 14278) created April 17, 1945
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Raymond F. Malo
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edwin Mockler
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leo R. Eschman
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George T. Carr
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James G. Cox
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Allan K. Hill
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James J. O'Neil
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Waler R. Odgers
FindAGrave - 1Lt Raymond F Malo (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 2LT Edwin Mockler (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 2LT Edwin “Pete” Mockler (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - Bernard S Bennison (photos, group burial photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Leo R Eschman (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 2LT Leo R Eschman (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - TSgt George Thomas Carr (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt James G Cox (photo, memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Allan King Hill (photos, courts of the missing)
FindAGrave - Sgt James J O'Neil (photo, courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Walter R Odgers (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Walter Odgers, Jr (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - CPL Kenneth Eugene Logan (photo, grave photo)
9th Bombardment Group (VH) History (1st, 5th, and 99th Squadrons) A B-29 Superfortress Unit in World War II (1995) page 137 (crew photo)

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Last Updated
May 26, 2025

 

Tech Info
B-29

MIA / POW
MIA / POW
8 Missing
1 Prisoner
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