TRIBUTE TO 1ST LT JOSEPH V. LA MOGLIA
AND THE
497TH BOMB GROUP
(VERY HEAVY)


 

The 73rd Bomb Wing Plaque and William Thorrat Brick
were placed at the B-29 All Veterans Memorial Complex
Pratt, Kansas
during the Summer of 2017

Please click on image to see larger version

 

Latest update 20 February 2022

January 2017
December 2017
January 2018

February 2018
February 2022

Photos

Lumpkin
Crew

R&R Men

Updated to include Replacement Crews

Mission Spreadsheet

Second A-13 serial number corrected to

44-69929

869th Crew List

Robert Morgan Crew Mission 6
Recon to Tokyo
10 November 1944

Update Archive

 

Dedicated to the memory of
1st Lt. Joseph V. La Moglia
April 1921-July 1945
497th Group RCM (Radar Countermeasure) Officer
Isely Field
Saipan

 

My mom's first cousin Joe was flying with the Merrill Crew
on Mission #248 to Kochi, Japan
at the time of the aircraft's disappearance

The focus of this web site is on the flight crews of the 497th. However, without the support and hard work of the Ground Crews, many of these aircraft never would have left the ground. These crew members deserve considerable appreciation for their effort.

 


I am indebted to the Pathfinders who have made my research much easier.
They include SallyAnn, Ed Lawson, Jim Bowman,
Tom Robison, Rich Cookson, Joe Swann, and Michael

You can visit their web sites in the
Links
section

Special recognition goes to
Mr. David Rogers, Administrative Officer
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
St. Louis, Missouri
His reply to a question about my cousin
has led me into the world of B-29 aircraft in WWII

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20th Air Force
73rd Bombardment Wing
Bombardment Groups (Very Heavy)
497th
498th
499th
500th
A Square
T Square
V Square
Z Square

Bombardment Squadrons

869

870

871



** 872 **
Originally assigned to
497th
Nov 1943
Inactivated May 1944
Assigned to
382nd Group (VH)
September 1944

Bombardment Squadrons

873

874

875

 

Bombardment Squadrons

877

878

879

 

Bombardment Squadrons

881

882

883

 

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The XXI Bomber Command
Monthly Activity Report
1 March 1945
Lists 1887 Officers and 10028 Enlisted Men serving with the 73rd Bombardment Wing
A plaque on Saipan states that
1033 of these men lost their lives

The six group burial sites are for those crew members whose aircraft was located.

The 497th lost 52 aircraft during the time it was on Saipan
Some of these crews ditched and were rescued
Some became POWs
Some aircraft were destroyed on the ground

The location of the others is known only to God

 

 


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