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  B-29-75-BW "City of Pacific Palisades" Serial Number 44-70010 Tail K-41
USAAF
20th AF
330th BG
458th BS

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USAAF 1945
Pilot  Major John O. Vick (survived) Pacific Palisades, CA
Co-Pilot  F/O Robert A. Roast (survived)
Bombardier  Captain Charles L. Morris (survived)
Crew  2nd Lt. Donald E. Martin (survived)
Navigator  Sgt Peter J. Orsini (survived)
Radar  2nd Lt. Allan M. Cohen, O-2068612 (MIA / KIA) Kings County, NY
CFC  Cpl Harvey H. Delles (survived)
Gunner  Cpl Floyd R. Griffith (survived)
Crew  Cpl Walter Pychewicz (survived)
Crew  Cpl Dane A. Miller (survived)
Crew  Cpl William R. Shaver (survived)
Crew  Cpl Harvey H. Dellas (survived)
Damaged  May 17, 1945
MACR  14444

Aircraft History
Built by Boeing. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-29-75-BW Superfortress serial number 44-70010.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), 330th Bombardment Group (330th BG), 458th Bombardment Squadron (458th BS). Tail code K Square 41. Assigned to pilot Major John O. Vick who nicknamed the bomber "City of Pacific Palisades" after his hometown. Later renamed "City of Glen Falls" and/or "City of Hatch, ID".

Mission History
On May 17, 1945 took off from North Field on Guam piloted by Major John O. Vick on a night incendiary bombing mission against Nagoya in Japan. While en route to the target at 3:45am, the no. 2 engine appeared to be on fire approximately 20 miles from the Japanese coast, and failed to feather and bombs were salvoed and turned towards Iwo Jima and the crew altered to be ready to bail out because the airplane seemed uncontrollable due to the vibrations and wind milling propeller.

At 6:00am, the order was given to bail out, and the five crew in the rear of the plane jumped (Shaver, Miller, Delles, Pychewicz and Cohen). After bailing out Cohen's chute was seen to open but he was never seen again and became Missing In Action (MIA). He was know to be unable to swim.

The rest of the crew in the nose and cockpit (Vick, Roast, Morris, Martin, Orsini and Griffith) were unable to lower the nose landing gear. The vibrations ceased and they successfully landed landed on Iwo Jima at approximately 8:00am. On the ground, the number 2 engine burst into flames but was extinguished after 10-15 minutes.

Search
Two other B-29s dropped two rafts and a "gibson girl" and supplies to the men who had bailed out. A destroyer searched for Cohen for the remainder of the day and night, but failed to find any trace of him. Plus a PBY Catalina "Dumbo" unsuccessfully searched for him the next day.

Afterwards, this B-29 was listed as ACNL "Aircraft Not Lost". It is unclear if this B-29 was repaired and continued to fly additional missions.

Memorials
Cohen was officially declared dead on the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Cohen is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John O. Vick

NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Allan M. Cohen

USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-29-75-BW Superfortress 44-70010
"70010 (458th BG, 330th BG) loat from unknown cause in Pacific Ocean May 17, 1945. MACR 14444. Fate of crew unknown."
Missing Air Crew Report 14444 (MACR 14444) created May 19, 1945
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Allan M. Cohen
FindAGrave - 2Lt Allan M Cohen (courts of the missing photo)

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Last Updated
October 22, 2021

 

Tech Info
B-29

MIA
MIA
1 Missing
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