The 499th Bomb Group (VH) was activated at
Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, in November 1943.
In December 1943 a small group was sent to
Smoky Hill Army Air Field (SHAAF ) in Salina, Kansas.
Between then and April 1944, the Group went
back and forth at least two times to Clovis AAF, New Mexico.
Sgt Walk was at Clovis AAF three times
between 29 January 1944 and 14 May 1944.
At Clovis AAF his name appears in a February 1944 document
assigning him and Chester A Johnson to the 878th Squadron.
There is no documentation that I can locate concerning the
specific date when the Latimer Crew was formed.
The 499th returned to Smoky Hill AAF on
8 April 1944 to begin Combat Training.
Based on Sgt Walk's list of stations, the Crew departed
Salina for Herington AAF, Kansas, on 13 October 1944.
On 3 November 1944 they departed
Herington AAF for Mather AAF, Sacramento, California.
Below is the Movement Order with the crew
departing Mather AAF for Saipan
on or about 6 November 1944.
They arrived on Saipan 14 November 1944.
source: Bob Mann
B-29s Over Japan 1944-1945
Capt Latimer's name appears 17 times in
the 499th Bomb Group Mission Spreadsheet.
source: Doug Comella
He was scheduled for 17 missions with the
first one taking place on 24 November 1944.
There were 4 aborts, 1 scratch, 1 homing mission.
Their B-29, V Square 23, was lost during the
13-14 April 1945 Mission against the Tokyo Arsenal.
Below is a captioned photo of the Crew
follwed by the
6 November 1944 Movement Orders from
Mather AAF, Sacramento, California
