Raymond F. "Hap" Halloran
B-29 Navigator and Prisoner of War (POW) in Japan

In memory Raymond Halloran passed away June 7, 2011

Background
Raymond F. Halloran was born on February 4, 1922 in Cincinnati, OH. He completed high school and was employed as a typist. On October 1, 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) at Patterson Field in Fairfield, Ohio as a private with serial number 15327430.

Wartime History
After training as a navigator, he was comissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-703246. Assigned to the crew of pilot 1st Lt. Edmund Gilbert Smith, he and the rest of the air crew trained together in Lincoln, Nebraska. He and the crew were assigned to B-29 "Rover Boys Express" 42-24769 and flown to Isley Airfield on Saipan.

Mission History
On January 27, 1945 took off aboard B-29 "Rover Boys Express" 42-24769 as navigator on a bombing mission against the Musashiho and Nakajima aircraft factories near Tokyo. Fifteen miles west of the target near Mount Fuji, this B-29 was attacked by Ki-45 Nick pilot 1st Lt. Kashiide who opened fire head on and 37mm cannon rounds hit the nose destroying the electrics, intercoms, perspex and lost cabin pressure. Damaged, Smith ordered the crew to bail out and seven including Halloran managed to parachute out successfully.

Fates of the Crew
The seven crew that bailed out including Halloran landed safely but were quickly captured by the Japanese and turned over to the Japanese Army Kempeitai (Kempei-Tai) military police. Halloran was held in a cage at Ueno Zoo and then transfered to Omori POW Camp and after solitary confinement was in a barracks with Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. At the end of the Pacific War, liberated from captivity. Halloran last report date was September 5, 1945 at Tokyo POW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay Area 35-140.

Postwar
Halloran and Boyington remained friends traveled together, golfed together and Halloran wrote and delivered his eulogy at Arlington National Cemtery on January 15, 1988.

In 1984 he first returned to Japan and lectured and visited every manjor city including a 2002 museum dedicated to the March 10, 1945 fire bombing raid. In the United States, attended vetern events with B-29 "Enola Gay" crew members Paul Tibbets and Dutch VanKirk. Halloran was also friends with Saburo Sakai for 16 years prior to his death, continue as mentor to his daughter Michiko. Played golf with Saburo in Japan and at my club here and was guest speaker in 2001 when his memorabilia was donated by his family to the National Museum of the Pacific War (Nimitz Museum). He was also friends with Henry Sakaida for 15 plus years and Koji Takaki.

He was also friends with Chase Nielsen, Nav on crew 6 with Doolittle. He occupied same cage in KT Tokyo in part of 1942 - I later in same cage and his note scratched in floor and hole in wall - did stuff with George Gay prior to his death. He was active in Commemorative Air Force (CAF) and was inducted into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame in October 2001 with U.S. President George H. W. Bush and others. Also active in the B-29 "Doc" restoration at Wichita - owned by friend of mine from Cleveland, Ohio Tony Mazzolini - Also working with the folks at Pratt, Kansas to create Museum for B-29s in original hanger. He did regular email exchanges with half dozen excellent historians and friends in Japan and have been with them on last three trips in 2000-2001 and 2002. Have been invited back to Saipan seven times including the May 2004 60th anniversary commemoration.

Memorials
Halloran passed away June 7, 2011 at age 89. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery at columbarium court 7, section UU, column 8, niche 4.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Ray F. Halloran
Hap's War The Incredible Survival Story of a P.O.W. Slated for Execution (1998) by Ray F. "Hap" Halloran with Chester Marshall
The Historical Marker Database - Rover Boys Express (photos)
Hap Halloran Hero A Story of Heroism in B-29s Over Tokyo by Mofak
B-29.org "January 27, 1945 Time Heals Everythin... Almost" (2003)
Tribute to Robert D. Cookson Sr. and B-29er's of the Marianas - Raymond "Hap" Halloran of V-27, "Rover Boys Express" (2011)
San Jose Mercury News / San Mateo County Times "Obituary of Raymond Halloran" June 15, 2011
FindAGrave - Raymond F “Hap” Halloran (photo, grave photo, obituary)
The Daily Courier "Chivalry over Tokyo: The WWII story of Hap Halloran and Hideichi Kaiho (Part 1)" by Richard Haddan June 21, 2017
The Daily Courier "Chivalry over Tokyo: The WWII story of Hap Halloran and Hideichi Kaiho (Part 2)" by Richard Haddad June 22, 2017
HapHalloran.com personal website of Ray Halloran
Thanks to Ray F. "Hap" Halloran for additional information