Updated July 28, 2008


20th AIR FORCE
21st BOMBER COMMAND
30th Bomb Wing
781st BOMB GROUP
900TH BOMB SQUADRON

COMBAT CREW FILE
VICTORIA
THE VALKYRIA

   
CREW CHIEF
 
MICHAEL NORTH

FIRST LIEUTENANT JOHANNES SWENSON

CREW STATION
NAME
RANK
Experience
Missions
CLAIMED KILLS
CONFIRMED
Notes
PILOT

Swenson, Johannes -1 4    
CO-PILOT

Dixon, Walter
 -1 4
     
BOMBARDIER

Coleman, Brett
-1
4

 
NAVIGATOR

Young, Martin -1  4     
Engineer

Franklin, Arnie

 -1 4    
RADIO OPERATOR

Preston, Lucas
-1
4    
CENTRAL FIRE CONTROLLER

Johnson, William
-1 4


 
Left Waist Gunner

Wells, George
-1
4
 
Right Waist Gunner

Di Marca, Mario -1  4


   
RADAR OPERATOR

Sanders, Fred -1 4    
Tail Gunner

Hansen, John

-1
4
1/0
 



MISSION SUMMARY
MISSION
#
DATE
TARGET AREA AND TARGET
BOMB RUN
ENEMY AC CLAIMS
D/K/C
CREW CASULTIES
L/S/K
NOTES
1/1
Nov. 3, 1944
Nagoya, ACF
0
1/0/0
  New crew. Assigned 900th Squadron.

2/2
Nov. 7, 1944
Akashi, ACF
0
   
      Group Lead.

3/3
Nov. 14, 1944
Iwo Jima, AF
6
   
     Bomb run off target. No fighters appeared.

4/4
Nov. 21, 1944
Okinawa, AF
8
   
     Bomb run ON TARGET! Light flak, no fighters appeared.


CREW NOTES
MissioN PILOT
CO-PILOT
BOMBARDIER
NAVIGATOR
ENGINEER
RADIO OPERATOR RADAR OPERATOR CENTRAL FIRE CONTROLLER
LEFT WAIST GUNNER
RIGHT WAIST GUNNER
TAIL GUNNER
1/1 Swenson Dixon Coleman Young Franklin
Preston Sanders Johnson Wells Di Marca

Hansen
2/2                                                
3/3                                            
4/4                                            
GREEN: New crew man. RED: KIA. PURPLE: Wounded. ORAGNGE: POW. PINK: MIA. LT GREEN: Temporary Replacement crew man.

AIR CRAFT HISTORY
MISSION
#
DATE
TARGET AREA AND TARGET
AIR CRAFT DAMAGE
DAMAGE POINTS
AIR CRAFT STATUS
DATE AVAILABLE
1/1 Nov. 3, 1944 Nagoya, ACF Left elevator damaged; Bombardier gunsight damaged; Compressed Air Duct hit; Left wing root hit; Superficial damage.              Available         
2/2 Nov. 7, 1944 Akashi, ACF Left Wing Compressed Air Duct hit; Right Wing Compressed Air Duct hit; Superficial hit.     Available    
3/3 Nov. 14, 1944 Iwo Jima, AF Mech Fail, Z5R: Aft Bomb bay doors; Mech Fail, Z4R: Engineer Instruments, Pressureization controls, B-29 could not be presurized if de-pressureized..     Available    
4/4 Nov. 21, 1944 Okinawa, AF None.     Available    

AFTER ACTION REPORT
MISSION
#
DATE
TARGET AREA AND TARGET
MISSION DESCRIPTION
1/1 Nov. 3, 1944 Nagoya, ACF We had a quiet ride to Nagoya. A George attacked from 6 high. The tail gunner hit and damaged him slightly. He fired back at us but missed.

Medium flak opened up. We took some hits in the tail, nose and wings. a hit to the compressed air duct was the most serious damage.

Signed, Arnie Franklin - Engineer.
2/2 Nov. 7, 1944 Akashi, ACF Only our second mission and assigned to lead the group today to Akashi. We must be doing something right. We took off as planned and had no problems getting to the assembly point. Good weather and good flying from  the crews in the group resulted in a tight formation.

The flight to Japan was uneventful, not a fighter was seen and no flak at all fired over the target. Bombardier Coleman felt the pressure of his important position and missed the target completely.

There was no flak going in over the target but it seems as if the gunners aimed well and waited until they had us in their sights. Moderate flak opened up and we took hits in the wings and tail. The Compressed Air Duct in both wings were hit. The second hit in the right wing compromised the pressurization throughout the ship. I left formation and descended to low altitude.

No fighters were seen over Japan nor over Iwo. We landed safely back at the base.

Signed, Johannes Swenson, Pilot.
3/3 Nov. 14, 1944 Iwo Jima, AF Formation Assembly was very good. We managed t o fly tight all the way to Iwo. P-38s were with us, but no fighters attacked over the target as we went in. Flak was weak and our bomb run was off. AGAIN. Japanese fighters must have been slow taking off or totally destroyed. There were no fighters attacking when we left the target area.

We had two mechanical failures on the route back to Tinian, where we landed safely.

Signed, Johannes Swenson, Pilot.

It was a rough landing! I was bumping around all over the place! (Sgt. Lucas Preston, Radio Operator.)
4/4
Nov. 21, 1944
Okinawa, AF
This was a milk run for us. No fighters seen at all, and light, inaccurate flak over Okinawa. Target was visible in clear conditions. Bombardier Coleman was On Target for the first time! BUT, 8% (DR 11) only was on!

Light flak and no fighters on the return route. Landing was uneventful.

1LT Johannes Swenson, Pilot.


781 BG HQ

58th BOMB WING

918th BG
10TH BW                              314 SQD             314 Sqd Crew 48
       88tH BG                                                            88TH BG CREW    
      100th BG                         100TH BG CREW  
 

434th BOMB GROUP              434th BG CREW

4 Staffel, II Group Kampfgeschwader 53 Crew
Heinkel He 111

  1st PATHFINDER  
B-26 Play Test Squadron

Heinkel He 111 The Spade Sneak Peek
The German Twin-Engine Bomber in the Battle of Britain