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| B-29 of the 1st B.S., named "Spearhead" in honor of the 5th Marine Division's taking of the island Iwo Jima. | |
| 5th B.S. B-29 profile | 99th B.S B-29 profile |
The three squadrons of the 9th Group have histories going back to the beginnings of U.S. military aviation. The 1st Squadron was established as the 1st Aero Squadron in 1913 and participated in the "Punitive Expedition" to Mexico in 1916-17, and in combat in France in World War I. The 5th and 99th Squadrons were established as the 5th and 99th Aero Squadrons in 1917, but were not involved in combat in World War I.
The 9th Group was established as the 9th Group (Observation) in 1922. The 1st and 5th Squadrons were assigned as component units of the group immediately; the 99th Squadron was assigned in 1929.
In 1935 the group and squadrons were redesignated bombardment units and further specified as "Medium" in 1939, "Heavy" in 1940, and "Very Heavy" (B-29) in March 1944.
The group trained at McCook, Nebraska from April to December 1944, then deployed to North Field, Tinian, Marianas Islands to join the 313th Wing of the XXIst Bomber Command of the 20th Air Force. to participate in the strategic air offensive against Japan.
From February 9, 1945 to the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, the 9th Group flew 28,000 hours on 75 combat missions. Involving a total of 2012 sorties, of which 1515 sorties were for bombing industrial, transportation, airfield, or urban area targets in Japan, by day or night at altitudes from 5000' to 30,000', with high explosive, general purpose, fragmentation, or incendiary bombs; and 328 sorties were for dropping anti-shipping mines at night from low altitude by parachute in the harbors and sea lanes of Japan for the "Operation Starvation" campaign designed by the U.S. Navy.
The group was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations. One for a night attack on the urban area of Kawasaki in which four crews were lost, the group's greatest single-mission loss, and the other citation for its part of the mining campaign.
The group lost 15 B-29s in combat and destroyed 26 Japanese fighters, probably destroyed 11, and damaged 27.
The 9th Group had 141 casualties of which 111 were killed and 30 wounded or injured.
| Air Force Assigned to: | 20th AF (Nov. '44 - end of WWII) |
| Stations flown from: | North Field, Tinian (Dec. '44 - end of WWII) |
| Campaigns: | Anti-submarine, American Theatre |
| Air Offensive, Japan | |
| Western Pacific | |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation: Kawasaki, Japan, 15/16 April '45 |
| Distinguished Unit Citation: Japan, 13-28 May '45 | |
| Squadron Insignia: |
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| 1st B.S. | 5th B.S. | 99th B.S. | |
| plane numbers | 1-20 | 21-40 | 41-60 |
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"Battlin' Bonnie II", of the 1st B.S. Flew
5 missions, and was the first B29 to land in Japan.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 1st Bomb squadron, named "B(ig)
A(ss) Bird". Flew 32 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "B.A. Bird".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 1st Bomb squadron, named "Big
Time Operator". Flew 46 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "Big Time Operator".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Cox's Army" of the 5th B.S. flew 35
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Daring Donna III" of the 99th B.S. flew
43 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 5th Bomb squadron, named
"Destiny's Tot". Flew 40 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "Destiny's Tot". 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Dinah Might", of the 1st B.S. Flew 42
missions. Was the first B29 to land on Iwo.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Dottie's Dilemma" of the 5th B.S. Flew 32
missions. Went off the runway 7/06/45 and was scrapped. 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Early Bird" of the 5th B.S. flew 44
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"The '8' Ball" of the 1st B.S. Flew 35
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"French's Kabazie Wagon" of the 99th B.S.
flew 25 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"God's Will". Flew 34 missions with the
1st B.S.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 5th Bomb squadron, named "Goin'
Jessie". Flew 50 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "Goin' Jessie".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Hon. Spy Report" of the 99th B.S. flew 39
missions... and was the first (th B.G. B29 to achieve 400 hours on all 4
engines.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Jake's Jalopy" of the 99th B.S. flew 29
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"The Judy Ann" of the 99th B.S. flew 35
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"The Kristy Ann". Flew 41 missions with
the 1st B.S.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Lucky Lady".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Lucky 'Leven", of the 1st B.S. Flew 37
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Man O' War".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Miss Mi-Nookie" of the 99 B.S. flew 39
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 5th Bomb squadron,named "Nip
Clipper". Flew 47 missions and was shot down by flak on 8/08/45 over Yawata.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "Nip Clipper".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Nip Nemesis" of the 5th B.S. flew 37
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Old 900" of the 99th B.S. flew 46
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Passion Wagon", of the 1st B.S. Flew 32
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Purple Heartless" of the 5th B.S. Flew 44
missions. 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Ready Teddy" of the 5th B.S. flew 43
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Sad Tomato" of the 5th B.S. flew 40
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 1st Bomb squadron, named
"Spearhead" in honor of the 5th Marine Division's taking of the island Iwo
Jima.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of the commemerative
"Spearhead".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of the commemerative
"Spearhead".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Dedication of the B-29 "The Spearhead" -
5th Marine Division Band practices for the ceremony.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Dedication of the B-29 "The Spearhead" -
313th Wing Brigadier General J.H. Davies at center rear with General Keller
Rockey of the 5th Marine Division to his right. To Davies' left is Captain
Dave Rogan, airplane commander, 1st Bomb Squadron, 9th B.G. with the other
10 members of his crew.
back row second from the right is Frank P. Maxwell, navigator (Their regular
plane was Man o’ War II) 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Starduster" of the 5th B.S. flew 28
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"The Uninvited" of the 99th B.S. flew 40
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"The Wolfpack". 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Thunderin' Loretta"of the 1st B.S. Flew
22 missions. Suffered structural damage from thermals and crashed on a
seperate incident on 3/19/45.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Thunderin' Loretta"of the 1st B.S. The
two men pictured are Charles Siddens (left) and his brother, Wendy. Wendy
Siddens was a Navy man who managed to visit Tinian and see his brother.
Charles and his entire crew were lost on a mine laying mission in May of '45 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B-29 of the 1st Bomb squadron, named "T.N.
Teeny II". Flew 27 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Another view of "T.N. Teeny II".
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Tokyo-KO"of the 5th B.S. Flew 38
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"20th Century Limited" of the 5th B.S.
flew 6 missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"Warsaw Pigeon" of the 5th B.S. flew 35
missions.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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B29's of the 9th B.G. passing Mt. Fugi, a
common site.
USAF Museum photo |
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Littlewood's nameless #574 with 2 dead
engines hoping to make a landing at Iwo Jima 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Final approach of a 9th B.G. B29.
USAF Museum photo |
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2 B29's of the 9th B.G., and a 330th B.G.
B29 at the emergeny strip at Iwo Jima.
USAF Museum photo |
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Not neseccarily the 9th B.G., but the B29
graveyard at Tinian, the base for the 9th B.G..
USAF Museum photo |
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North Field, Tinian. Worlds largest
airdrome in 1945 - four 8500 ft runways, 13 taxiways and 230 hardstands
(created by the seabee's in 6 months!) Home of the 313th Wing.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Planes getting ready for a P.O.W. drop.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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North Field and West Field, Tinian, as
seen from the air..
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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2000# aerial mine.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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2000# aerial mine.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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2000# aerial mine.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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2000# aerial mine.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Japanese "Baka" bomb... Japanese suicide
weapon, a piloted rocket propelled plane with 500# of explosives.
9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Written on back - "This is the way your
husband looks at high altitude in the plane"
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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Witten on back - "The Eight-Ball" coming
into position for formation practice.
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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No Info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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No Info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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Written on Back - Taken on Okinawa... rest
unreadable -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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Written on Back - Practice bombing with
100# bombs found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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written on back - coming in -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info.. must be directly after war's
end... note POW Supplies painted on underside of wings! -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info.. must be directly after war's
end... note POW Supplies painted on underside of wings! -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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No info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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No info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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no info -
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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written on back - Theatre, Bill says holds
2,000 men and 4,000 beer bottles nightly.
found in a photo album - Jim Sterling Photo |
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9th BG B29 #31 circling
Tinian with North Field in foreground. The field further away to the south
is West Field. Plane #31 was "Dotties Dilemma" but the emblem on the side is
unknown 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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"God's Will", 9th BG
plane #2 9th Bomb Group Photo |
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Sojka, the tail gunner,
last on right in front row: Floyd Bishop, co pilot, Seymour R.
Appleby, 4th from left standing. Leonard, the navigator is third from left Photo courtesy of Seymour R. Appleby |
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Seymour R. Appleby and
SeeBee Leroy Liss, high school buddies in Chicago. They met by
coincidence on Tinian Island
Photo courtesy of Seymour R. Appleby |
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This a photo of Seymour R.
Appleby taken by the same Seabee. You can see from the markings on the
aircraft how missions we had at that time. We flew the full 35. Photo courtesy of Seymour R. Appleby |
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Navigator, Robert E.
Leonard Photo courtesy of Seymour R. Appleby |
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bombardier Seymour R.
Appleby, 9th Bomb Group, 1st Squadron in the bombardier's seat working a
crossword on the way home from a mission Photo courtesy of Seymour R. Appleby |
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cell of 9th Group B-29's that my father
took. Of note, check out the different stages of the markings applied to the
planes and notice the bomb bay doors are open. My father was Seraphin
"Whitey" Romaniak, was a radio operator and was based on Tinian
Photo courtesy of Rich Romaniak |
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Anton Schwartz -
first on left kneeling, with his crew in front of their plane the Goin Jesse Photo courtesy of
August G Schwartz |
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Photo of the B-29 the Goin Jessie. The picture is extremely odd, concluded that the film didn't feed correctly. It contains three shots taken of the plane, an engine and prop, a division, a centered shot of the nose art, another division, and a man standing by the aircraft with the art behind. The man in the photo is my grandfather. John P. Bones, Sgt. 9th BG, 99th BS. Photo was taken on Tinian. (Always have been curious if there is actually a decent photo of my grandfather with this plane.) Photo courtesty of John Blomstedt |
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