Supine Sue
Z Square 42 "Supine Sue" is a WWII B-29 Superfortress of the 20th Army Air Force, 73rd Bomber Wing, 500th Bomb Group, 883rd Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on the island of Saipan. The Supine Sue flew 52 missions during WWII
Crew List
Original Crew #222 - Arrived in Saipan on Nov. 1944, flew 35 missions.
Pilot Aircraft Commander - Capt. Charles T. Mooreland
Co Pilot - 1st Lt. Ray K. Isham
Bombardier - 1st Lt. Charles R. Kolb
Flight Engineer - 1st Lt. Joseph J. Dell'Ario
Navigator - 1st Lt. George V. Famiglio
Radio Operator - Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Agee
Left Gunner - Staff Sgt. Donald C. Hetrick
Right Gunner - Staff Sgt. Robert O. Buda
Ring Gunner - Staff Sgt. Ivyl D. Enders
Radar - Staff Sgt Ronald J. Jones
Tail Gunner - Staff Sgt Linas E. Dietz
- They were a lead crew and one of the first to complete their tour of missions.
- Master Sgt. George H. DeVilibis (Ground Crew Chief) flew 2 missions as a gunner. 1st Lt. Dell'Ario was replaced by 2nd Lt Alva J. Willis as Flight Engineer and became a flight inspector.
Replacement Crew - Flew 4 missions
Pilot Aircraft Commander - 1st Lt John M. Hunter
Co Pilot - 2nd Lt. Andy G Pavlosky
Bombardier - 2nd Lt. George E. Knowles
Flight Engineer - 2nd Lt. Raymond J. Hunley
Navigator - First Officer Audley Clark
Radio Operator - Tech Sgt. Rayburn H. Witt
Left Gunner - Sgt. William C. Lemonds
Right Gunner - Cpl. Arnold Spitz
Ring Gunner - Sgt. Robert H. Wetter
Radar - First Officer David L. Orbeck
Tail Gunner - Cpl. Edsel G. Parsons
- Cpl Arnold Spitz is the father of Mark Spitz
Ground Crew
Master Sgt. George H. DeVilibis, Crew Chief
Sgt. Vernon Gerra
Cpl. Joseph H. Fernandez
Cpl. Roy Waynert
Sgt. Albert Anderson
Missions
Group Mission #39, Wing Mission #39 Bomber Command Mission #58
Summary
Mission # 58
Date: 7 April 1945
Code Name: Enkindle # 7
Target: Nakajima A/C Plant, Tokyo 90.17 - 357
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 107
% A/C Bombing Primary: 94% (101 Primary and 2 Opportunity)
Time Over Primary: 071100K - 071106K
Altitude of Attack: 11,500 - 15,650
Weather Over Target: CAVU - 2/10
Total A/C Lost: 3
Resume of Mission: Bombing results - see Mission # 63 for details. Four aircraft non-effective. Two aircraft lost to flak and one aircraft lost to air-to-air bombing. First mission to have friendly fighter escort - approximately 97 P-51s escorted the formations. Escort efficient in breaking up enemy aircraft con- centrations. Enemy fighter opposition heavy, aggressive to very aggressive - 531 attacks. Enemy aircraft destroyed - 80, probably destroyed - 23, and 50 damaged. Crews reported that P-51s destroyed 21 enemy aircraft. Report may contain some duplication. Two P-51s lost. AA heavy, moderate to intense, accurate to very accurate. Three aircraft airborne as navigational escort to fighters not included in above totals. Average bomb load: 10,275. Average gas reserve: 547 gallons.
From Bomber Command Mission 63 Summary
Resume of Mission: Bombing results: Damage resulting from Missions 58 and 63 amounts to 886,900 square feet or 48.2% of total rood area. Damage mostly in Eastern Section of plant - 1,075,000 square feet or 94% of roof area. Western Section has 71,000 square feet or 10.1% of roof area destroyed or damaged. Total damage to date to 357 is 1,146,000 square feet or 62.6% of total roof area. Dam- age resulting to the Shizuoka A/C Engine Plant 990.18 - 2011) amounts to 823,000 square feet or 86% of the total rood area of the target proper. Four aircraft not included in above totals airborne as navigational escort to approximately 90 P-51s. Seven aircraft non-effective. Enemy air opposition moderate - 105 attacks. Enemy aircraft destroyed eleven, probably destroyed tow and ten damaged. P-51s claim twenty aircraft destroyed. AA heavy, moderate to intense, generally accurate. Four P-51s lost - one pilot rescued. Average bomb load: 10,762 lbs. Average gas reserve: 532 gallons.
Full Radio Transmission recorded aboard the Supine Sue during this mission