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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 20th AF 314th BW 19th BG 28th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Marion C. Floyd, O-667683 (KIA, BR) Pampa, TX Co-pilot 2nd Lt. George Hollens, Jr. (KIA, BR) Bombardier 1st Lt. Elza D. Perry (KIA, BR) CFC Gunner 2nd Lt. Martin C. Engfer (KIA, BR) Observer 2nd Lt. Justice J. Buttala, O-2065716 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Navigator Sgt Clifford H. Cupp (KIA, BR) Gunner Sgt Howard E. Sprague (KIA, BR) O Sgt Douglas Bannon (MIA / KIA) Gunner Sgt Gilbert C. Stockinger (MIA / KIA) Gunner Sgt David H. Powell (MIA / KIA) Tail Gunner Sgt Thomas L. Klingensmith (MIA / KIA) Crashed April 24, 1945 MACR 14312 Aircraft History Built by Boeing. Constructors Number 7433. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29A-25-BN Superfortress serial number 42-94026. Ferried overseas to the North Field on Guam. Wartime History Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), 314th Bomb Wing (314th BW), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 28th Bombardment Squadron (28th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R3350-23A serial numbers DW204943, DW204975, DW204968 and DW204923. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers not noted on Missing Air Crew Report 14312 (MACR 14312). Mission History On May 29, 1945 took off from North Field on Guam piloted by 1st Lt. Marion C. Floyd on a bombing mission against Tachikawa on Honshū in Japan. The weather was clear. After the bombs were released, intercepted by Japanese fighters. This B-29 was hit in the no. 3 engine caught fire with flames as far back as the tail causing the bomber to begin a slight turn to the right downward and passed under the formation and last seen at 6:00pm. Gunners aboard other B-29s reported seeing two parachutes opening that were strafed by Japanese fighters as they descended. The damaged bomber was believed to crashed and burned at Tachikawa. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fates of the Crew Buttala survived and was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner of War (POW). He was detained with other Allied prisoners at Tokyo Military Prison. During the night of May 25-26, 1945 the prison was destroyed by fire during a B-29 fire bombing raid over Tokyo. Buttala died in the fire. Recovery of Remains Postwar, the remains of the crew were recovered from the crash site and transported to the United States for permanent burial. American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) recovered 65 sets of remains from Tokyo Military Prison including 26 that were identified and 39 unknowns that were later buried at Fort McKinley Cemetery (Manila American Cemetery). Due to the efforts of family members, during March 2022 and April 2022, the unknowns associated with the Tokyo Prison Fire were exhumed from Manila American Cemetery and mitochondrial DNA analysis tested by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). On January 14, 2025 2nd Lt Justice J. Buttala was accounted for by the Department of Defense (DoD). Memorials Six of the crew, Cupp, Engfer, Floyd, Hollens, Perry, Sprague and Cupp were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Postwar, they were buried in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at section 82 sites 4-5. Buttala was officially declared dead May 26, 1945. He earned the Air Medal. Buttala is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the court of the missing, court 7. After he was identifeid, a rosette was added next to his name. He will be buried in Alexandria, Virginia on a date yet to be determined. References Some sources list this B-29 as ditching into the sea off Iwo Jima with the entire crew rescued, this is incorrect. NARA Records of World War II Prisoners of War does not list any of the crew as official prisoners of the Japanese USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-29A-25-BN Superfortress 42-94039 "94039 (314th BW) hit by flak on mission to Yokohama May 29, 1945 and crashed into sea on return flight. All 11 crew KIA. MACR 14538." Missing Air Crew Report 14312 (MACR 14312) created April 26, 1945 FindAGrave - 1LT Marion Cecil Floyd Jr. (photo, group burial photo, obituary) FindAGrave - George Hollens FindAGrave - Elza D. Perry FindAGrave - Martin C. Engfer American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Justice J. Buttala DPAA Personnel Profile - Justice J. Buttala (photo) listed as crew member of B-29 42-94206 sic 42-94026 FindAGrave - 2LT Justice Joseph Buttala (photo, court of the missing, news) The Daily Calumet "Tells Jap Murder S.C. Flier Lt. Buttala Victim of Atrocities" April 15, 1948 FindAGrave - Clifford H. Cupp FindAGrave - Howard E. Sprague FindAGrave - Douglas Bannon FindAGrave - Gilbert C. Stockinger FindAGrave - David H. Powell FindAGrave - Thomas L. Klingensmith Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated May 26, 2025
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 B-29  MIA 1 Missing |
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