We were to bomb Tokyo 357 but it was too overcast and had to bomb Hitihi Engine Works. We had P-51’s for the first time. Take off: 2:00, Land: 16:001.
— Joe Caner Swann
This was the last mission for the crew of the Star Duster. Even though they went home the fighting continued. The Twentieth Air Force flew a total of 331 missions through the end of the war on August 14.
One this date 124 planes of the 73rd Bomb Wing were sent to the Nakajima Aircraft Plant at Musashino near Tokyo. The B-29s arrived at the target mid-morning (10:00-10:40 am) and bombed the target from fairly high altitude (19,600-21,200 feet).
The primary target received over 800 tons of bombs from 118 planes (the planes each carried over 14,000 lbs. of bombs). Even bombing by radar results were excellent with roughly 85% of the target destroyed. Some buildings constructed of reinforced concrete received ten direct hits and were thought to have been severely damaged. Two aircrat bombed targets of opportunity.
Flack was heavy and damaged 19 planes. Air opposition consisted of 45 aircraft which made 41 attacks. Some 50 P-51s were on hand to provide fighter support for the B-29s.
All planes returned safely, though 18 landed at Iwo Jima.
Additional Resources
- Read the complete journal kept by the Star Duster's right gunner, Joe Caner Swann.
- Resume of 20th Air Force Missions, (see book information on the books resources page).
- Mission resumes are also available on the Twentieth Air Force Association web site. This site is built with frames. To view the mission resumes click the "Missions" link in the top menu on the site's home page. This was mission 197.
Mission List
- Truk (October 30, 1944)
- Iwo Jima (November 8, 1944)
- Bonin Island (November 20, 1944)
- Tokyo (December 3, 1944)
- Tokyo (December 19, 1944)
- Pagan (December 30, 1944)
- Nagoya (January 3, 1945)
- Nagoya (January 14, 1945)
- Scheduled -- Grounded due to mechanical problems (January 19, 1945)
- Nagoya (January 23, 1945)
- Scheduled -- Grounded due to mechanical problems (January 27, 1945)
- Search (January 31, 1945)
- Weather Strike to Kobe (February 6, 1945)
- Incomplete (February 15, 1945)
- Tokyo (February 25, 1945)
- Tokyo (March 4, 1945)
- Tokyo (March 9, 1945)
- Nogoya (March 11, 1945)
- Kobe (March 16, 1945)
- Nagoya (March 18, 1945)
- Tachiarai (March 27, 1945)
- Dumbo (March 31, 1945)
- Tachikawa (April 3, 1945)
- Dumbo (April 7, 1945)
- Dumbo (April 13, 1945)
- Tachiarai (April 17, 1945)
- Tachikawa (April 24, 1945)
- Mayazaki (April 29, 1945)
- Fighter Escort to Tokyo (May 7, 1945)
- Tokayama (May 10, 1945)
- Nagoya (May 14, 1945)
- Nagoya (May 16, 1945)
- Tokyo (May 23, 1945)
- Tokyo (May 25, 1945)
- Yokahama (May 29, 1945)
- Fighter Escort to Osaka (June 1, 1945)
- Incomplete (June 7, 1945)
- Hitachi (June 10, 1945)
