Date: 10th February 1945
Unit: 483 Bomber Squadron (505 Group)
Type: B-29 Superfortress
Serial No: 42-2487
Code: ?
Location: North East Target - near landfall
Base: Tinian (North Mariana Islands)
Pilot: 1st Lt.. Walter H. Schroeder 0732077 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Co Pilot: 2nd Lt. Milton O. Truitt jnr. 0-768757 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Herbert L. Shulman 0-710332 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Robert F. Jeffries 0-7601175 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Radio/Op: Sgt. Steve Bednar jnr. 13174391 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Flight Engineer: T/Sgt. Arthur L. Burkhart 13051883 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Radar Gunner: Cpl. Francis T. Prestera 11139201 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
CFC Gunner: Sgt. Alfonso G. Edwards 37069803 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action (1)
Left Waist Gunner: Cpl. Joseph J. Pilgrim jnr. 36857554 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Right Waist Gunner: Cpl. Edwin L. Minkwits 42082640 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
Tail Gunner: Cpl. Lewis R. Murzycki 31417332 U.S.A.A.F. Missing in Action
(1) CFC: Central Fire Control: From a small bubble this crew member could control up to 10 x 50 calibre machine guns that were divided among 4 remote controlled turrets.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Based at Tinian, the largest airport of World War II with six runways each 8,500 ft long. Bombing of Japan continued around the clock and of course this is the airfield used to launch the atomic bombs which halted the war in the Pacific.
This B-29 was singled out by between 40 and 50 enemy aircraft and forced out of formation. The aircraft was shot down and last sighted at 16.40 hrs. and the crew are listed as missing with no known graves.
Unknown B-29 going down over Japan 1945 (Courtesy Life)
Trinian airfields 1945 (A.R. Society archives)
B-29 Superfortress (A.R. Society archives)
Burial details:
None - all still classed as missing.
1st Lt.. Walter H. Schroeder
Mrs. Dorothy C. Schroeder (wife) Box 541. Alpine, Texas, U.S.A.
2nd Lt. Milton O. Truitt
Mrs. Jeanne F. Truitt (wife) 1334 S. Fremont Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, U.S.A.
2nd Lt. Herbert L. Shulman
Mr. Jacob Shulman (father) 6051 Boulevard East, West New York, New Jersey. U.S.A.
2nd Lt. Robert F. Jeffries
Mr. Forrest Jeffries (father) 1938 Shenandoah Road, Tuledo, Ohio. U.S.A.
Sgt. Steve Bednar
Mrs. Susan Bednar (mother) Rr. 316E, Diamond Avenue, Hazelton, Pennsylvania. U.S.A.
T/Sgt. Arthur L. Burkhart
Mrs Agnes J. Burkhart (wife) 266 High Street, New Jersey. U.S.A.
Cpl. Francis T. Prestera
Mrs. Francis R. Prestera (mother)24 Hall Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. U.S.A.
Sgt. Alfonso G. Edwards
Mr. Joe Edwards (father) Monticello, Arkansas. U.S.A.
Cpl. Joseph J. Pilgrim
Mrs. Gladys R. Pilgrim (mother) 8848 Sussex Street, Millville, New Jersey. U.S.A.
Cpl. Edwin L. Minkwits
Mrs. Phyllis S. Minkwits (wife) 531 North 3rd Street, Millville, New Jersey. U.S.A.
Cpl. Lewis R. Murzycki
Mr. Roman Murzycki (father) 33 Pleasant Street, Webster, Massachusetts. U.S.A.
Researched by Melvin R. Brownless and David King of the A.R.Society for the relatives of radio operator Sgt. Steve Bednar