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| USAAF 20th AF 19th BG 28th BS  USAAF 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt Kenneth W. Clewett, O-730011 (KIA, BR) Glendale, CA Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Charles G. Agne, T-5940 (KIA, BR) Johnson County, IA Navigator 2nd Lt Vernon W. Lilley, O-2068790 (KIA, BR) Los Angeles, CA Bombardier 2nd Lt Elton V. Kime, O-761371 (POW, executed July 12, 1945, BR) Macomb, OK Engineer Sgt Jack E. Russell, 17033331 (KIA, BR) Chicago Heights, IL Radar 2nd Lt Keith H. Carrier, O-2073049 (POW, executed July 12, 1945, BR) Cleveland, OH Radio Pvt Howard W. Bowker, 11018716 (KIA, BR) Taunton, MA Central Firearms Control Sgt Arthur V. Keller, 35147127 (KIA, BR) Jefferson County, IN Gunner Sgt George R. Graziadei, Jr., 12240110 (POW, executed July 12, 1945, BR) Utica, NY Gunner Sgt Joseph R. Shelton, 38518313 (POW, executed July 12, 1945, BR) Winn Parish, LA Gunner Sgt John E. Gallo, 12228292 (KIA, BR) Kings County, NY Crashed May 14, 1945 MACR 14428 Aircraft History Built by Boeing. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29-75-BW Superfortress serial number 44-70017. Ferried overseas to North Field on Guam Island. Wartime History Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 28th Bombardment Squadron (28th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-3350-23A serial numbers DW208212, DW208736, DW208698, DW208187. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers unknown serial numbers 1971958, 1971936, 1972225, 1971853, 1972166, 1099699, 73413, 1972274, 1971673, 1971638, 1971594, 1971723. Mission History On May 14, 1945 took off from North Field on Guam Island piloted by 1st Lt Kenneth W. Clewett armed with incendiary bombs (Mission 174) on a bombing mission against the urban area north of Nagoya in Japan. The formation included a total of 472 B-29 Superfortress bombers. Over the target, hit by anti-aircraft fire causing a fire in the no. 2 engine and cause this bomber to fall off on the left wing and descend 3,000' in a large arc, then straightened out for a few seconds before it disinterested into two large flaming pieces. Two parachutes were seen to open before last seen in the smoke cloud over Nagoya. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In total, eleven bombers were lost including this bomber. Fates of the Crew In fact, seven of the crew were killed in the crash: Clewett, Agne, Lilley, Russell, Bowker, Keller, Gallo. The body of one crew member fell in front of Nishi-ku Kodama-cho Kodama Fire Department. Another fell in a public school yard. Two other bodies were also found and buried at a local temple. Four of the crew were captured and became Prisoners Of War (POW): Kime, Carrier, Graziadei, and Shelton. All four were moved to Tokai Army Headquarters for interrogation. Afterwards, put on trial in a military court and sentenced to death for undiscriminating bombing. On July 12, 1945 all four were beheaded at Obatagahara rifle range in Nagoya. Recovery of Remains Postwar, the remains of the crew were recovered and transported to the United States for permanent burial. Only Russell and Keller were individually identified. The remains of the rest of the crew were buried in a group burial. Memorials Seven of the crew were killed in the crash: Clewett, Agne, Lilley, Russell, Bowker, Keller, Gallo. Clewett, Agne, Lilley, Bowker and Gallo are buried in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at section 82, site 166. Clewett also has a memorial marker at Paradise Cemetery in Paradise, CA. Russell was buried at Plot Q Row 0 Grave 811 at Honolulu Cemetery (Punchbowl). Keller is buried at Springdale Cemetery in Madison, IN at west ½, lot 494, Spring Grove (Veterans Monument). On November 21, 1949 four crew executed Kime, Carrier, Granziadel, and Shelton were buried in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at section 82, site 1E. Graziadei also has a memorial marker in Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack E. Russell NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Howard W. Bowker NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George R. Graziadei, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph R. Shelton NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John E. Gallo USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-29-75-BW Superfortress 44-70017 "70017 (19th BG, 28th BS) crashed after disintegrated in midair over Nagoya, Japan May 14, 1945 while on mission to Nagoya MACR 14428. All 11 crew killed." Missing Air Crew Report 14428 (MACR 14428) created May 16, 1945 FindAGrave - 1LT Kenneth Walter Clewett (photo, group burial) FindAGrave - 1LT Kenneth Walter Clewett (photos, memorial marker photos) FindAGrave - Charles Gordon Agne (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Charles Gordon “Gordon” Agne (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Vernon Wesley Lilley (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Elton Vance Kime (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Jack E Russell (grave photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Keith H Carrier (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - PFC Howard W Bowker (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Arthur V. Keller (grave photo) FindAGrave - CPL George R Graziadei, Jr (group burial photo) FindAGrave - CPL George R. Graziadei Jr. (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SGT Joseph R Shelton (group burial photo, interment card) FindAGrave - SGT John E Gallo (group burial photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated May 13, 2025
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