On 14 May 1945 2nd Lt Joe McSpadden was promoted to 1st Lt while in captivity.

On 5 May 1945 the B-29 flown by Lt McSpadden was shot down and crashed
about 50 miles south east of Osaka.

This was 73rd Bomb Wing Mission #65, Target Kure.

In these pages are coodinates and maps showing that the
crash took place on the island of Shikoku.
You will find corrections in the four pages of this section.

Based on SSgt Sparks' station list,
the crew most likely was formed at Clovis AAF in the middle of September 1944.

On 18 February 1945 they transferred to Kearney AAF.
The Lt Joe McSpadden crew was a replacement crew,
departing Kearney AAF 25 February 1945.

I have been unable to locate shipment or movement orders.

They arrived on Saipan and were assigned to
the 871st Bomb Squadron on 15 March 1945.

The two pages of the 15 March 1945 Morning Report
list each crew member and their MOS.
SSgt Sparks is the Flight Engineer, MOS 737

Based on missions flown by Lt McSpadden,
the crew's first mission took place on 24 March 1945
and was followed by nine more in April and May.

The 871st Bomb Squadron Morning Report for 6 May 1945 has two parts,
one for Officers and the second for Enlisted Men.
All are listed as Missing in Action.

Beneath this is a page from the 73rd Bomb Wing Mission Report
that concerns Enemy Fighter Reaction.
In there are details of the attacks made on the B-29s by these fighters.

The final page is an Intraoffice Reference Sheet requesting
the status of each crew member.
All are KIA with date of death for those who died in the crash 5 May 1945
and those executed at Osaka 15 August 1945.

THE 1ST LT JOE MC SPADDEN CREW

 

source: The Long Haul
History of the 497th Bomb Group

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MORNING REPORT
871ST BOMB SQUADRON
SAIPAN
15 MARCH 1945

original source: NARA St Louis
source: Roy Wall

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MORNING REPORT
871ST BOMB SQUADRON
SAIPAN
6 MAY 1945

original source: NARA St Louis
source: Roy Wall

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MORNING REPORT
871ST BOMB SQUADRON
SAIPAN
6 MAY 1945
CONTINUATION

original source: NARA St Louis
source: Roy Wall

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73rd BOMB WING MISSION REPORT
HQ 73RD BOMB WING
9 MAY 1945

MISSION INFORMATION
XXI BOMBER COMMAND MISSION NUMBER 146

original source: NARA College Park, Maryland
source: Jim Bowman

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INTRAOFFICE REFERENCE SHEET
15 NOVEMBER 1948
CREW STATUS AND DATE OF DEATH



source: Fold3

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