Jack Lebid of Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle," Radio Operator
It has been our extreme pleasure to become friends with Jack and Enid Lebid and their son Larry. Jack flew 35 bombing missions over Japan during WWII as radio operator with the Sullivan crew on Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle."
Jack and his crew were one of the original ten "flyaway" crews that left Kansas in November 1944, bound for Saipan. They were attached to the 881st SQ., 500th BG, 73rd BW. He and his crew completed 35 bombing missions, one search and rescue mission, and had two aborted missions, one of which was ordered by coded message and picked up by Jack.
All members of this crew returned home safely after each mission.
Jack and his family contributed greatly to this page, providing us with informative documents and photographs, as well as an in-depth account of his life as a bomber crew member. We appreciate their participating and providing us with an insight into Jack's life as a member of the US Army Air Corps. Thank you Jack, Enid, and Larry.
On his 20th birthday, Jack participated in the first B-29 bombing of Tokyo from the Mariana Islands, the first such raid on Tokyo since the 1942 Doolittle raid.
In his detailed Flight Log, Jack wrote the following about his first combat mission: "Nov. 24 (1944)- A great event. Tokyo bombed for first time since General Doolittle made a raid on Tokyo two and one half years ago. Participated in this raid which came on my birthday."
In our interview, he commented: "Our first mission to Japan on November 24, 1944, was the beginning of the B-29 aerial offensive against Japan and the beginning of the end of WWII."
Jack's military experience began in 1942, when a recruiter visited his freshman class at the School of Engineering of Cornell University. "Join the Reserves and finish your courses here, we need engineers," they were told. Jack signed up, along with most of the class. A couple of months later, as the war escalated, they were called to active military service.
Jack reported to the Induction Center in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Promised by the recruiter that he would be able to select his branch of service, he chose the Army Air Corps. An officer passing by overheard and said, "Give him his choice, he's a reservist," a stroke of luck since at that time not all reservists were given their choice.
From Fort Devens, Jack was sent to Miami Beach, Florida, for basic training. Jack said Miami Beach wasn't too bad since they were housed in various hotels taken over by the military. After basic training, he was assigned to Scott Field, Illinois, for radio and Morse Code training to become a radio operator.
Upon successful completion of training, Jack reported to Walker Field in Kansas, in May 1944, to become a member of the Lieutenant Richard Sullivan crew of the B-29 Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle." In November they headed for Saipan.
An interesting side note of Jack's extensive training: he was willing to volunteer twice for high altitude testing in an altitude chamber simulating flights at 30,000 feet. (Although the new B-29's had pressurized cabins, if the aluminum skin of the aircraft was punctured the aircraft would de-pressurize immediately, and if not already on oxygen, a crew member would have to do so within seconds.-Author's notation)
Jack said he started out on oxygen and was instructed to write sentences on a clipboard. He was then told to remove his oxygen mask and almost immediately began to scribble illegibly while passing out. Upon replacement of his oxygen mask, he regained consciousness and began writing legible sentences again almost as if nothing happened.
After the war, Staff Sergeant Jack Lebid accepted an Officers Commission as Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves and served for several years.
Upon discharge from the Air Corps, Jack returned to Cornell University and in 1950 graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He began his professional career at Bell Aircraft in Buffalo, NY, and after several years transferred to General Precision Laboratories in Pleasantville, N.Y. In 1963 he joined Philips Research Laboratories of North American Philips in Briarcliff Manor, NY, where he became Manager of Technical Documentation and Contract Administration, remaining at Philips for over 27 years.
He and Enid married in 1962 and have a son, daughter, grandson, age 14, and two granddaughters, 11 and 7, at the time of this writing in 2015.
Jack and his crew were one of the original ten "flyaway" crews that left Kansas in November 1944, bound for Saipan. They were attached to the 881st SQ., 500th BG, 73rd BW. He and his crew completed 35 bombing missions, one search and rescue mission, and had two aborted missions, one of which was ordered by coded message and picked up by Jack.
All members of this crew returned home safely after each mission.
Jack and his family contributed greatly to this page, providing us with informative documents and photographs, as well as an in-depth account of his life as a bomber crew member. We appreciate their participating and providing us with an insight into Jack's life as a member of the US Army Air Corps. Thank you Jack, Enid, and Larry.
On his 20th birthday, Jack participated in the first B-29 bombing of Tokyo from the Mariana Islands, the first such raid on Tokyo since the 1942 Doolittle raid.
In his detailed Flight Log, Jack wrote the following about his first combat mission: "Nov. 24 (1944)- A great event. Tokyo bombed for first time since General Doolittle made a raid on Tokyo two and one half years ago. Participated in this raid which came on my birthday."
In our interview, he commented: "Our first mission to Japan on November 24, 1944, was the beginning of the B-29 aerial offensive against Japan and the beginning of the end of WWII."
Jack's military experience began in 1942, when a recruiter visited his freshman class at the School of Engineering of Cornell University. "Join the Reserves and finish your courses here, we need engineers," they were told. Jack signed up, along with most of the class. A couple of months later, as the war escalated, they were called to active military service.
Jack reported to the Induction Center in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Promised by the recruiter that he would be able to select his branch of service, he chose the Army Air Corps. An officer passing by overheard and said, "Give him his choice, he's a reservist," a stroke of luck since at that time not all reservists were given their choice.
From Fort Devens, Jack was sent to Miami Beach, Florida, for basic training. Jack said Miami Beach wasn't too bad since they were housed in various hotels taken over by the military. After basic training, he was assigned to Scott Field, Illinois, for radio and Morse Code training to become a radio operator.
Upon successful completion of training, Jack reported to Walker Field in Kansas, in May 1944, to become a member of the Lieutenant Richard Sullivan crew of the B-29 Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle." In November they headed for Saipan.
An interesting side note of Jack's extensive training: he was willing to volunteer twice for high altitude testing in an altitude chamber simulating flights at 30,000 feet. (Although the new B-29's had pressurized cabins, if the aluminum skin of the aircraft was punctured the aircraft would de-pressurize immediately, and if not already on oxygen, a crew member would have to do so within seconds.-Author's notation)
Jack said he started out on oxygen and was instructed to write sentences on a clipboard. He was then told to remove his oxygen mask and almost immediately began to scribble illegibly while passing out. Upon replacement of his oxygen mask, he regained consciousness and began writing legible sentences again almost as if nothing happened.
After the war, Staff Sergeant Jack Lebid accepted an Officers Commission as Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves and served for several years.
Upon discharge from the Air Corps, Jack returned to Cornell University and in 1950 graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He began his professional career at Bell Aircraft in Buffalo, NY, and after several years transferred to General Precision Laboratories in Pleasantville, N.Y. In 1963 he joined Philips Research Laboratories of North American Philips in Briarcliff Manor, NY, where he became Manager of Technical Documentation and Contract Administration, remaining at Philips for over 27 years.
He and Enid married in 1962 and have a son, daughter, grandson, age 14, and two granddaughters, 11 and 7, at the time of this writing in 2015.
Jack's Z Square 7 on taxi roll
Jack's plane, Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle" on its hardstand, Saipan.
Capt. Richard D. Sullivan and his men were the primary crew on the Z Square 7
Crew of the Z Square 7 on Saipan. Jack Lebid is in the front row, far left.
DFC awarded to Jack Lebid and Z Square 7 crew for extraordinary achievement on 11 May 1945. They escorted another damaged B-29 home from Japan after a raid on Kobe.
The following images are medals earned by Jack during his air combat during WWII
DFC
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Air Medal
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The following two images are the mission notes Jack wrote describing the first bombing mission of Japan by B-29's from Saipan. Target: Tokyo.
Below is the Pilot Flight Record and Log Book with a notable last entry...
Please click on the individual log book page images below to enlarge
the last entry...
Crew # 111. Z Square 7 aircraft # 42-24680.
28 Oct 44. Departed Kearney Field for Mather Field.
30 Oct 44. Departs Mather Field for John Rodgers Field, Hawaii.
01 Nov 44. Sullivan crew leaves Hawaii for Kwajalein. Flying Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle"
03 Nov 44. Sullivan crew leaves Kwajalein for Saipan.
11 Nov 44. Sullivan crew flies practice bombing mission against sub pens on TRUK. Z Square 7.
24 Nov 44. Sullivan crew participates on first bombing raid mission against TOKYO. Z Square 7.
13 Dec 44. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA while flying Z Square 6, "Draggin Lady."
19 Dec 44. Sullivan crew search mission looking for Samuelson crew.
22 Dec 44. Sullivan crew aborts mission to NAGOYA due to turbo malfunction. Z Square 7.
11 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
19 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs AKASHI. Z Square 7.
27 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Shot up by fighters. Z Square 7.
07 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE. Z Square 7.
15 Feb 45. Sullivan crew on a bomb mission to NAGOYA, but cloud cover diverted them to bomb secondary
target HAMAMATSU instead. Z Square 7.
19 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
25 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO, flying Z Square 19--"Sna Pe Fort"
10 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO on Weather Strike Mission. Z Square 7.
13 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA during incendiary raid. Z Square 7.
17 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE during incendiary raid. Z Square 7.
19 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA. Z Square 7.
25 Mar 45. Sullivan crew on mission to NAGOYA. Aborted due to smoking engine. Z Square 7.
(*****KYUSHU WOULD BE BOMBED REPEATEDLY TO SUPPORT INVASION OF OKINAWA****)
31 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs airfields on KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
04 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
08 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
12 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
14 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
18 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
21 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
26 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
28 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
30 Apr 45. Sullivan crew supposed to bomb TOKYO which was covered in heavy cloud cover.
They bombed secondary target at HAMAMATSU instead. Z Square 7.
03-06 May 45. Lt. Sullivan on detached service at XXI Bomber Command, Guam.
11 May 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE. THEN ESCORTS BADLY DAMAGED Z SQUARE 1 TO IWO JIMA.
14 May 45. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA. Z square 7.
17 May 45. Sullivan crew supposed to bomb NAGOYA, but Aborted due to sick Co-Pilot. Z Square 7.
24 May 45. ****Thomas crew flying Z Square 7, blew up and crashed into TOKYO BAY from flak bursts.
Ten crewmen KIA, only Bombardier Phillips survived.
25 May 45. Sullivan crew on Detached Service, Oahu, Hawaii.
07 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
15 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OKAKA/AMAGASAKI. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
18 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs HAMAMATSU. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
20 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
22 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KURE NAVAL STATION. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
26 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA ARSENAL. (HAVE NEW AIRCRAFT Z SQUARE 7)
29 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
01 July 45. Sullivan crew bombs KUMAMOTO/KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
04 July 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOCHI. Z Square 7.
24 July 45. Capt. Sullivan left for Lead Crew Training School at Muroc, California.
04 July 45. Jack and his crew completed their 35th mission and were relieved from further combat duties.
Jack said he was going home, "YAHOO."
-Rich Cookson
28 Oct 44. Departed Kearney Field for Mather Field.
30 Oct 44. Departs Mather Field for John Rodgers Field, Hawaii.
01 Nov 44. Sullivan crew leaves Hawaii for Kwajalein. Flying Z Square 7, "Hell's Belle"
03 Nov 44. Sullivan crew leaves Kwajalein for Saipan.
11 Nov 44. Sullivan crew flies practice bombing mission against sub pens on TRUK. Z Square 7.
24 Nov 44. Sullivan crew participates on first bombing raid mission against TOKYO. Z Square 7.
13 Dec 44. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA while flying Z Square 6, "Draggin Lady."
19 Dec 44. Sullivan crew search mission looking for Samuelson crew.
22 Dec 44. Sullivan crew aborts mission to NAGOYA due to turbo malfunction. Z Square 7.
11 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
19 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs AKASHI. Z Square 7.
27 Jan 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Shot up by fighters. Z Square 7.
07 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE. Z Square 7.
15 Feb 45. Sullivan crew on a bomb mission to NAGOYA, but cloud cover diverted them to bomb secondary
target HAMAMATSU instead. Z Square 7.
19 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
25 Feb 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO, flying Z Square 19--"Sna Pe Fort"
10 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO on Weather Strike Mission. Z Square 7.
13 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA during incendiary raid. Z Square 7.
17 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE during incendiary raid. Z Square 7.
19 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA. Z Square 7.
25 Mar 45. Sullivan crew on mission to NAGOYA. Aborted due to smoking engine. Z Square 7.
(*****KYUSHU WOULD BE BOMBED REPEATEDLY TO SUPPORT INVASION OF OKINAWA****)
31 Mar 45. Sullivan crew bombs airfields on KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
04 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
08 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
12 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
14 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs TOKYO. Z Square 7.
18 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
21 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
26 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
28 Apr 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
30 Apr 45. Sullivan crew supposed to bomb TOKYO which was covered in heavy cloud cover.
They bombed secondary target at HAMAMATSU instead. Z Square 7.
03-06 May 45. Lt. Sullivan on detached service at XXI Bomber Command, Guam.
11 May 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOBE. THEN ESCORTS BADLY DAMAGED Z SQUARE 1 TO IWO JIMA.
14 May 45. Sullivan crew bombs NAGOYA. Z square 7.
17 May 45. Sullivan crew supposed to bomb NAGOYA, but Aborted due to sick Co-Pilot. Z Square 7.
24 May 45. ****Thomas crew flying Z Square 7, blew up and crashed into TOKYO BAY from flak bursts.
Ten crewmen KIA, only Bombardier Phillips survived.
25 May 45. Sullivan crew on Detached Service, Oahu, Hawaii.
07 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
15 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OKAKA/AMAGASAKI. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
18 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs HAMAMATSU. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
20 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
22 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KURE NAVAL STATION. Flew Z Square 4, "Black Magic".
26 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs OSAKA ARSENAL. (HAVE NEW AIRCRAFT Z SQUARE 7)
29 June 45. Sullivan crew bombs KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
01 July 45. Sullivan crew bombs KUMAMOTO/KYUSHU. Z Square 7.
04 July 45. Sullivan crew bombs KOCHI. Z Square 7.
24 July 45. Capt. Sullivan left for Lead Crew Training School at Muroc, California.
04 July 45. Jack and his crew completed their 35th mission and were relieved from further combat duties.
Jack said he was going home, "YAHOO."
-Rich Cookson
B-29, Z Square 7, on hard stand Saipan
Maintenance crew
Steeves, Jack Lebid, in middle, unknown,Saipan
Craig, Unknown, Seder, Andrews, of Z Square 7 in front of 881st B-29s on Saipan
Jack writing letters/relaxing
Lisle Neher & Angelo Campanini
Jack, on left, Andrews, Campanini on R/R Hawaii
Campanini, Neher, Seder, Lebid, Steeves, Birchett, Andrews, on R/R Hawaii
Back row: Seder, Neher, Steeves, Birchett, Andrews. Front row: Lebid, Campanini
Officer Richard Hufty in sand trap, R/R Hawaii
Lisle Neher
John M. Birchett
Elmo C. Steeves
Craig and Seder, R/R Hawaii
1st Lt. Edwin J. Seder, F.E., at his control panel during a mission
A/C Capt. Richard Sullivan and Pilot, Lt. Bruce Craig, at the controls of their B-29
Bombadier Warren Glover during mission
This Zippo lighter was engraved with my dad's name by his father, Morris Lebid. It was given to him before he deployed. Grandfather Morris was a tool and die maker and often engraved items with his engraver. (by Larry Lebid)
Emergency Fishing Kit supplied to crews in case of ditching. Photos of memorabilia sent to us by Larry Lebid.
Other unique mementos that Jack kept after the war...
Bomb Pin
Machette
Flight Glasses
Flight Glasses
