W45AUTH\KA28G-VC.DOC

I kept a log from June 1944 to October 1945 of every airplane I was on and the flying time while I was in the Army Air Force. I have used the entries from this log to jog my memory, to recall to the best of my recollection, some of the things that had occurred and might be of interest.

Every mission is a story in itself. I have commented on but a few that I think might be of interest.

Andrew J. Kerzner

11 Orchard Drive

East Williston, New York,: 11596

Feb. 11, 1993

Prior to my entry into the service, I was in a machinist apprentice program in the Sperry Gyroscope Company. While working in a company with government contracts, I had a 2-B deferment draft classification. Upon completion of my 4 year apprenticeship, I volunteered in the Army Air Force; New York Recruiting Station. My boss was not happy after investing in my training!

Prior to joining Crew 12, I had been in an Officer Training Program that consisted of months of schooling and tests to determine where we newcomers might fit in the pilot, navigator or bombardier programs that were promised to follow. One day in June of 1944, the following notice appeared on the Bulletin Board:

"All personnel have been relieved from scheduled training at the convenience of the Government." (Which means - No more money for all that jazz!)

That was followed a few days later with another notice:

"The following personnel have volunteered for aerial gunnery."

Naturally, all our names appeared on that list too! So, after training at Tyndall Field, Florida and Great Bend, Kansas, where our crew was formed, we went overseas with me as Tail Gunner on Crew 12. We landed our B-29 at North Field, Guam on the 20th of February 1945. I was immediately assigned to guard our airplane the first night, which was extremely dark. (Remember the Bulletin Board? My name again!)

I was issued a carbine (I didn't even know if it was loaded) and armed with my G.I. flashlight and my G.I. 45 caliber automatic (still wrapped in plastic), I assumed my position. That was at the nose wheel, trying to squeeze between the tires so as not to be noticeable. The Officer of the Guard upon issuing the carbine warned that while the island was secured, Jap snipers still roamed the area. Me, scared? That was the longest night of my life!

I must pause here to mention my good buddy, my best friend and fellow gunner, Rutger Kindberg. Rut had an upbeat personality and even in the most trying of times his infectious smile and quips made everything not only bearable, but often laughable. Rut passed on soon after returning home. Rest in peace, dear friend.

To say that the first taste of combat or that first mission is the most terrifying is not true. Every mission was frightening. Only a fool would fly into combat and not be scared.

[F031=M068;04-15-45;Wing 313-314; Night; Incend; 6-10KAltitude; Kawasaki Urban area "Brisket #1"

Airborne=219; Abort=8; Lost=12 (4 probably to EA or AA; 8 unk cause); Bomb load=9659; Fuel reserve=1060. Crew 12's mission #10]

On a mission April 15-16 to hit Kawasaki, the Japs hit us with everything they had. (Like it was our personal fault that the war started.) While over Japan, a phosphorus shell penetrated the radar room and wounded Lt. Frank Hermes, our radar man. Other pieces of flak

perforated parts of the fuselage so that we took on the appearance of a wedge of flying Swiss cheese.

A piece of that same flak or a fighter shell hit the fuselage just in front of the door to the tail gunner's compartment. At that spot was located the compressor that powered the twin fifty caliber machine guns in the tail. When the compressor was shattered the oil from the compressor caught on fire, scaring the daylight out of the tail gunner, me! Luckily, the cold air rushing in the hole caused by the penetrating shell or flak blew out the fire.

With the compressor gone the twin fifties could not be moved. The guns were frozen, pointing down at about 7 o'clock and. out of service. I stared in horror for at that moment a Jap fighter plane crossed our stern from below at 7 o'clock to up at 1 o'clock so close I could see the face of the fighter pilot. I was too scared to even s____. His burst of gunfire hit our rear bomb bay doors, jamming the actuators open. Our bombardier, Neil Allen, came back to try to close the doors, but was not able, so we dragged them all the way home.

On May 3-4 returning from a raid over Kyushu, Capt. Spencer's crew in M-7 ditched and we circled throwing life rafts, etc. to the personnel in the water. Because of the circling, we ran low on fuel and made an emergency fueling stop at Iwo Jima. Iwo was secured by then. (It was?)

While on Iwo Jima, the Marines shared hot rations with us and asked if anyone needed to go to the toilet. Naturally, we all had to go. A Marine guard slapped a shell into the chamber of his rifle and said "Let's go." "Why the rifle?" "Jap snipers like to catch the Americans with their pants down. Harder to run." Funny -- None of us had to go after all!

[F043=M137;05-03-45;Wing 314; Day; GP; 17KAltitude; Kanoya East AF "Famish #7"

Airborne=11; Abort=0; Lost=1 (1 to AA); Bomb load=10700; Fuel Resv=955.

Lt Robert Spencer lost in M7 to flak, ditched. Crew 12's mission #12]

F076=M187;06-01-45;Wing 58-73-313-314; Day; Incend; 13-28KAltitude; Osaka Urban area

Airborne=509; Abort=25; Lost=10 (5 to AA; 2 collided at assy; 2 mech prob; 1 unk); Bomb load=12364; Fuel Resv=655; Damaged=4 (by EA-AA); EA Sighted=85; EA Attacks=221 (dest=16, prob=9, dam=24)

Crew 12's mission #18]

June 1st, 1945 was another close call. While over Osaka, flak again caught us. The large Plexiglas window in the bombardier's compartment was shattered by flak, but the glass shards only scratched the face of the bombardier, Neil Allen. He was so close to needing a white cane!

Flak also came through the plywood floor of the tail gunner' s compartment and peppered my backside with wooden splinters. When the forward compartment asked if I was hurt, I replied, "I'm afraid to feel with my hands and find out." I was numb from fright, not from pain. Luckily, I was okay. Later examination disclosed that the shell had creased my seat back, missing me by inches. A little closer and even Preparation-H would not have helped!

S/Sgt Roy Kurre FO Hal Galbreath S/Sgt Doug Snook

With the fuselage full of holes, it was difficult to maintain cabin pressurization. I stayed in the tail all the way back to Guam. (Talk to me somebody! It's lonely back here! )

Following a mission, after we cleared the coast of Japan, it was customary to de pressurize, let the tail gunner come out of the tail compartment and into the main pressurized area, then pressurize again for a comfortable trip home. Roy Kurre, the right scanner/gunner would go forward and work with Hal Galbreath the flight engineer, and I would slip into Roy's spot and enjoy the banter of Rut Kindberg, the left scanner/gunner and Doug Snook our CFC. This was also the customary time for me to recite the Rosary.

June 28-29 on the way home after a night mission over Kyushu, positioned as mentioned, we were all about ready to slip into the land of nod when engine #4 exploded into fire! The airplane commander, Vern Chandler, took the necessary steps to extinguish the fire: also tried to blow the fire out by adjusting the engine cowl flaps, etc.. Satisfactory results were not immediately forthcoming when the AC announced "Prepare to abandon ship". Yipes! Talk about being scared! Thank God, our AC had prepared for such an emergency and. successfully got the fire out by diving to maximum allowed airspeed. -- An extra Rosary was said here!

[F145=M243;07-01-45;Wing 314; Night: Incend; 8-19KAltitude; Shimonoseki Urban area Airborne=141; Abort=8; Lost=1 (1 to mech, 2 eng failed enroute); Bomb load=13809; Fuel Resv=656

Crew 12's mission #23]

A raid. over Shimonoseki on July 1-2 again found us forced to make an emergency landing for fuel at Iwo Jima. While our airplane was being fueled, Rut Kindberg, Doug Snook and myself got out and wandered onto a small hill. Doug picked up a Japanese shoe, one where the big toe is separated from the other toes, and of bright color. What a souvenir! -- Until he discovered that a foot was still in the shoe! Yuk!

The AC and the forward personnel were unaware that the three of us had left the plane. We were in the process of boarding when the plane started to taxi toward the runway. Rut and Doug were boosted aboard and then it was necessary for them to pull me up into the plane while we were moving. We never thought that rear door was so high!

[Show of Force;08-30-45; Above Battleship Missouri for official surrender. Crew 12's mission #31]

The flight on Sep. 1, 1945 was the most spectacular sight. it was a daylight mission over Tokyo to cover the surrender on the Battleship Missouri. It was simply awesome to see a formation made up of about a thousand airplanes!

A couple of ground stories also come to mind.

When we first arrived on Guam, we lived in tents and with very little creature comforts. Water was extremely scarce. The 2nd or 3rd night on Guam, Major Free, the 28th Squadron Executive Officer came tearing through the area blowing a whistle and shouting "Air Raid. Take cover as best you can!" There were no trenches, foxholes or shelters on this coral island and I remember my buddy Rut Kindberg saying "Take cover? Where? Not in the hedgerows; there are lizards and snakes in there." So Rut lay back on his cot saying "If I must go, I'd rather die in bed; they say that's the best way to go."

Water was limited to one helmet full a day for personal grooming; brush your teeth, shave, etc., etc.. About once a week we would go to an open area, strip and then be hosed down from a tank truck equipped with a pump and hose.

There were no toilets so the initial solution to the problem was solved by drilling a hole in the coral, putting a stick of dynamite in the hole, and detonating it so as to create a crack or fissure in the coral. Jackhammers were borrowed from the Sea Bees and there in the blistering heat one damp and musty evening, was Major Free operating a Jackhammer side-by-side with the G.I.s.

The 28th Squadron had the best cooks and eventually a pretty nice, airy mess hall. For sanitary reasons, the metal cans and containers from the kitchen were crushed (And I think dumped in the sea ). All enlisted personnel, regardless of rank, took turns at K-P. (which wasn't often). Part of the K.P. detail was crushing those cans on a tree stump with mallets fashioned from tree limbs. I recall one detail along with Rut crushing cans, side-by-side with Major Free! It vas a fun detail, "Take that Tojo", and competing to see who could squash the flattest in a single stroke or who could splatter any remaining contents the furthest.

What a guy, Major Free!

A special salute must be rendered to our maintenance crew headed by M/Sgt Dan Sidelko, and other related ground personnel. They kept us going and worried over us like mother hens. Without them, we would have been nothing.

August 21, 1945, Vern Chandler moved up and Lieut. Smith became our new AC.

I took part in thirty-one (31 ) combat missions and 463 hours and 45 minutes of combat time.