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Re: Special Ops and the Namsi Raid
Ed,
At Monday, May 14, 2001 10:59 PM you wrote:
> Nothing in my files about the B-29 that crashed on the mud flats but I do
> have the E&E debrief of the pilot for one of the downed B-29's but no names
> since the report is redacted. He bailed out and saw three other chutes as
> he descended. He was picked up by a whaleboat from the HMS Murchinson. He
> does not mention anything about the others but assume they also were picked
> up since he mentions massive Search & Rescue effort involving SA-16s,
> helos, F-84s, F-51s and Sea Furies as well as ships. His B-29 crashed into
> the sea.
Thanks. This is very useful and opens a news line of research--the Murchinson connection [HMAS Murchinson - Australian Navy Frigate—commanded by LCDR A.N. Dollard, RAN]. The Sea Furies may have been from the carrier HMAS Sydney which was operating in the Yellow Sea at this time. Perhaps I can unearth something from the Australian Archives. Great lead!
The E&E debrief is also enlightning--I believe it may refer to either Capt. Emil Goldbeck or a Capt. Smith (first name unknown)--either of which could have been the co-pilot of Aircraft 151, 370th Bomb Squadron. A total of four men bailed out of Capt Shields aircraft before it exploded and four were resued from the water.
Some of my notes on this aircraft...
Aircraft 151, 370th Bomb Squadron
Aircraft Commander: Capt. Thomas L. Shields
Disposition: Shot down by MiG-15s 23 October 1951. Exploded in mid-air over Korea Bay.
Crew: 14 Men
CRESS USAF Sgt E5 RESCUED
DOUGHERTY JOSEPH STEPHEN AF13041845 USAF Sgt E5 MIA
GOLDBECK EMIL B. A. USAF Capt O3 RESCUED
HAMBLIN ROBERT WARREN AF12127986 USAF MSgt E7 MIA
NEWSWANGER QUENTIN L. AF14164294 USAF TSgt E6 KIA
O'NEAL JULIUS ELLIOTT 4792A USAF Lt. Col. O5 MIA
PENNINGER ROGER WILLIAM AO-778935 USAF Capt O3 MIA
SHIELDS THOMAS LESTER AO-837209 USAF Capt O3 MIA
SMITH USAF Capt O3 RESCUED
STEINBROCK USAF Cpl E4 RESCUED
VRETIS JAMES GEORGE AO-590680 USAF 1Lt O2 KIA
WAHLGREN EDWARD CHARLES AO-695357 USAF Capt O3 MIA
WEBB EDWARD ARVIL AF18350787 USAF Cpl E4 MIA
WEST CARL EMMONS AF13346889 USAF A1C E3 MIA
Narrative: After being attacked by MIG's, aircraft 151 caught on fire. Capt. Shields’ B-29 “headed to fly over water to reduce risk of capture. At that point [he] gave the order to bail out. Four were able to bail out [Smith, Cross, Steinbrock, Goldbeck]. After Goldbeck left the plane, aircraft 151 exploded in mid-air. Smith, Cross, Steinbrook, and Goldbeck were later picked up by Search and Rescue.
Thanks again.
v/r
John