There is considerable overlap between the
Sameulson Crew
and

73rd Bomb Wing Mission # 26

sections.
________________

Captain Stanley Samuelson's crew came together either at Clovis AAF, New Mexico,
or at Walker AAF, Victoria, Kansas, in early 1944.

Below the commentary is a photo of the crew with these words at the bottom:

Shot down 30 miles NW of Tokyo

There is no date as to when the crew photo was taken.

The table below the crew photo summarizes the dates of the missions
and B-29s that the crew flew on.

These are followed by another table that offers explanations
of Z Square 19 ( 1 ) and ( 2 )

In Jim Bowmans Day by Day
Parts 1 and 2
are details of the crew's journey from Walker AAF to Saipan.

Typically, this would take 7-10 days.
Theirs took 16 days.

As you read through these pages you will understand
why their first B-29, Z Square 3,
got the name

SNANFU - PER - FORT

Documents in Sgt Janecek's IDPF state the location where
the survivors and those who were lost were recovered.

There is conflicting information within in these documents and
the 73rd Bomb Wing and 500th Bomb Group Mission Reports.

These reports state that the B-29 ( Z Square 12 )
was lost close to or over the target.

Similar information is within Sgt Janecek's IDPF.

However, also within the IDPF are documents stating
the location as Yamanashi Prefecture.



Following the Crew Photo and Tables is a Google map with
my best estimate of where the B-29 went down.

Next are two photos with nose art.

The first is the original Z-3 (1)

The second is Z-19 (1)

CAPT STANLEY SAMUELSON CREW

Last line of caption states:
Crew shot down 30 miles N.W. of Tokyo

source: Ed Lawson Collection

A SQUARE

497TH BOMB GROUP

T SQUARE

498TH BOMB GROUP

V SQUARE

499TH BOMB GROUP

Z SQUARE

500TH BOMB GROUP

24 November 1944

Z SQUARE 3 (1)

42-63435

SNAFU-PER-FORT

18 December 1944

Z SQUARE 3 (1)

42-63435

SNAFU-PER-FORT

Grounded for repairs end of December1944

Returned to service
January 1945
as
Z SQUARE 19
*** see below ***

27 December 1944

Z SQUARE 11

42-63489

9 January 1945

Z SQUARE 3 (2)

42- 65249

ANN DEE

ABORT

14 January 1945

Z SQUARE 3 (2)

42-65249

ANN DEE

27 January 1945

Z SQUARE 3 (2)

42-65249

ANN DEE

WEATHER STRIKE MISSION

10 February 1945

Z SQUARE 3 (2)

42-65249

ANN DEE

19 February 1945

Z SQUARE 12

42-24692

LOST

SNA PE FORT
Name change ordered by Command

Missions :

9-10 March 1945
through
7 June 1945


11 June 1945
Declared War Weary and returned to Continental US

Z SQUARE 19 ( 2 ) ( 44-61692 )

SHARON SUE

27 June 1945
Arrived on Saipan

Missions :

28-29 June 1945
through
14 August 1945

APPROXIMATE TRACK OF B 29s FROM
INITIAL POINT ( IP ) AT KOFU
TO
SECONDARY TARGET
DOCK AREA OF TOKYO

OVAL AT LEFT REPRESENTS BEST ESTIMATE OF WHERE Z-12 CRASHED

source : Google Maps

Z SQUARE 3 (1)
PHOTO MOST LIKELY TAKEN ON
JOHNSTON ISLAND
15 NOVEMBER 1944

LT SAMUELSON REPAINTING NOSE ART

photo source : Ed Lawson Collection
Jim Bowman Day by Day

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Z SQUARE 19 (1)

source : Ed Lawson Collection

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