Tribute to Robert D. Cookson Sr. and B-29er's of the Marianas
  • Home- Uncle Bob
  • Uncle Bob's Letters
    • Uncle Bob's Letters 1943 >
      • Jan. 1943
      • Feb. 1943
      • March 1943
      • April 1943
      • May 1943
      • October 1943
      • June 1943
      • July 1943
      • August 1943
      • September 1943
      • November 1943
    • Uncle Bob's Letters 1944 & 1945 >
      • January 1944
      • February 1944
      • March 1944
      • April 1944
      • May 1944
      • June 1944
      • August 1944
      • September 1944
      • October 1944
      • November 1944
      • December 1944
      • January 1945
      • February 1945
      • Last letter mailed home- __06 March 1945__
      • Last letter found in his belongings after his death-not mailed
  • Uncle Bob youth images
  • Uncle Bob Training/Becoming Radar Operator
  • Uncle Bob KIA
  • KIA - The Flight and Collision
  • KIA - The Aftermath
  • Returning Uncle Bob's Remains to the U.S. 1948
  • Z Square 8 CRASH SITE PHOTOS
  • POWs in Hyogo Ken eye-witness accounts, crash of the Z Square 8
  • Visit to Crash Site/Memorial. April 2015
  • Osaka Kempeitai Execution of Nelson and Augunas
  • Aircrews/Missions
  • 500th Bomb Group
  • Z-6 "Draggin' Lady"
  • Z-6 "Booze Hound"
  • Z-7 "Hell's Belle"
  • Z-8 "Mission to Albuquerque"
  • Z-9 "Nina Ross"
  • Z-10 "Punchin' Judy"
  • 1st Incendiary Raid report, Tokyo, 9 March 1945
  • Incendiary Raid Reports, Kobe, 17 March 1945. Z-8 crew lost.
  • Photo Galleries (5 galleries)
  • Unofficial History of the 73rd Wing Book
  • Algy Augunas of Z-8, "Mission to Albuquerque", Radio Operator, POW/Executed
  • Erwin A. Brousek of Z-8 "Mission to Albuquerque", Bombardier
  • Herschel W. Connor of Z-8 "Mission to Albuequerque", Flight Engineer
    • Connor War Diary
  • Robert E. Copeland of Z-8, "Mission to Albuquerque", Pilot/Co-Pilot, KIA
  • George Lucas of Z-8, Crew Chief
  • Richard A. Field of Z-6, "Draggin' Lady", Pilot
  • Richard Dodds of Z-6, of "Draggin' Lady", Pilot-Co/Pilot
  • Douglas F. Bulloch of Z-6, "Draggin' Lady", Left Gunner/Spotter
  • Charles R. Maples of Z-6, "Draggin' Lady", Radio Operator
  • Romeo "Raymond" Rendina of Z-6, "Draggin Lady", Tail Gunner-secondary crew, Engle.
  • Harry Gerson of Z-6, "Booze Hound", Radar Operator-replaced Bob Cookson
  • Francis J. Merrick of Z-6, "Draggin Lady," Navigator
  • Jack L. Heffner of Z-7,and Z-11, "Hell's Belle" and "Holy Joe", Radar Operator
  • Jack Lebid of Z-7, "Hell's Belle", Radio Operator
  • Edwin Lawson of Z-22, "Leading Lady", CFC "Ring" Gunner
  • James R. Farrell of Z-34, "Frisco Nannie", Aircraft Commander
  • Jack V. Arterburn of Z-34, "Frisco Nannie", Flt.Eng.
  • Harold Arbon of Z-36, "Lil Abner," Aircraft Commander
  • Harold Arbon Saipan photo collection
  • Ray "Hap" Halloran of V-27, "Rover Boy Express", Navigator-survived war
  • Billy J. Burgess of E Triangle 27, "Good Deal", CFC Gunner
  • John L. Wright, Circle X 39, "Indiana," CFC Gunner, KIA
  • Nicolas V. Van Ness of Block "O" 15, "Green Hornet", Bombardier
  • Gerald J. Murphy of Aircraft #42-6379, Tail Gunner
  • John R. McNamara Jr., 499th Bomb Group
  • Junichi Ogata of the 56th Sentai, Capt., Fighter pilot
  • Meeting Capt. Ogata's Daughter April 2015
  • Z-8 Scale Tribute Build
  • Tribute Show Car - "Reverence" - Dodge Challenger
  • Misc Mission Reports/Documents of Interest
  • Color Photos on Saipan
  • Mariana Islands Aircraft Designations
  • WWII Surrender Chaplain Observation
  • The B29 Aircraft
  • WWII War Aircraft Facts
  • Comemorative Air Force's B-29 "FiFi"
  • Links
  • Contact Us
  • Change Log

                                                                                                                              (Courtesy N.Krahe)

Enlistment Record

Enlistment record
Picture
Dennison Train Station postcard
The lower right corner image of the postcard above is the train depot that Uncle Bob departed from in Dennison, Ohio.

Training


Crew roster Tyndall Field Gunnery School Class # 43-47
Crew roster Tyndall Field Gunnery School Class #43-47

 

Tyndal Field training class
























On 10 October, 1943, Uncle Bob attended six weeks of intense Flexible Gunnery School training at Tyndall Field in Florida.  Starting with BB guns, the men also fired shotguns and then machine guns at stationary and moving targets, and finished their training firing a 30 caliber machine gun from the rear of an AT-6 trainer.  They had to strip and reassemble a machine gun blindfolded wearing gloves, pass a test on Morse and Blinker codes, learn to identify Axis and Allied aircraft, and pass a High Altitude test in a pressure chamber, as well as much more.  Tyndall became famous because actor Clark Gable attended this gunnery school. 

Marksmen qualification document
Uncle Bob qualified as a "marksman" with a 45 pistol scoring a 68. Although this list designates these men as with the 883rd Bomb Squadron, Uncle Bob was always in the 881st. My belief is that he missed his own squadron's qualifying, and shot with this group to make it up.

Uncle Bob on right w/unknow buddy
Uncle Bob on the right w/an unknown buddy at Scott Field, Ill., for Radio/Morse Code training from March-July 1943. The large hanger and two water towers behind Uncle Bob are still there.Thanks to John Szalay for verifying this photo location for us.
Walker AAF base 1942
Walker AAF Crew training base, Kansas, 1942
WARTIME CHRONOLOGY:
 
January-March, 1943.  Miami, Florida.  Basic Training
March-July, 1943.  Scott Field, Illinois.  Radio Training.
July-September, 1943.  Boca Raton, Florida.  Radar Training. 
October-November, 1943.  Tyndall Field, Florida.  Gunnery School.
November, 1943-May, 1944.  Boca Raton, Florida.  Radar and misc. training.
May-November, 1944.  Victoria, Kansas.  Flight crew training.
November, 1944.  Departs Mather Field, California, for Saipan.
November 1944-45. March 1945.  Saipan
March 17 1945. - KIA


Flight Crewman wings
Flight Crewmen Wings
Radar Operator Wings
Radar Operator Wings
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Tech School Certification

Radar Operator

According to Bob Crowther (radarman, 39th Squadron):

"Actually it was radar that guided the plane to the target on all but the clearest days, and sometimes actually dropped the bombs by directing the bombardier. And there were very few clear runs because both night and cloud cover were our friends - normally the best choice for safety reasons whenever possible. * * * Radar was always used as an adjunct to navigation because of its ability to measure direction and distance to key land marks whether or not they could be observed visually. It was generally more helpful than any other tool, such as LORAN, or directional radio. It was also used sometimes for air to air observations as well as air to land or air to ship, and was even used to direct landings to within yards of final touchdown when landing in thick fog."
Radar Operator position
Radar man position
The Radarman was seated in the aft part of the aft pressurized compartment
Radar man station
Radar station is on right side, and you are looking back through un-pressurized compartment to rear tail gunner entry door. (courtesy F. Farrell)
K-22
Photo of the K-22 at Udvar-Hazy. It has adjustable clamps on the lens to attach to the radar scope. (courtesy B. Copeland) The following explanation of a "Mission Strike Camera" was provided to us by Mr. Marvin Demanzuk, radar officer, from the 39th Bomb Group. Marvin flew his combat missions from North Field, Guam. See his story at www.39th.org The navigator had a repeat radar scope at his station and the camera was attached to his scope. Displays were originated by the radar operator and information communicated to the bombadier verbally. The camera recorded the bomb run images, especially of pathfinder crews. So, your Uncle Bob provided the slant range marks to the bombadier and the navigator did the recording.
Picture
Radar station image (Courtesy D.Bulloch)
Picture
Radar station image (courtesy D.Bulloch)
Picture
Tom Del Signore trying to re-start the 'putt-putt' 60 years after the fact. 'Putt-putt' was in rear of plane and usually started by tail gunner. It provided auxillary power to start the engines on the B-29s. (Courtesy of Frank Farrell)
Radar shop image
Radar shop (courtesy B. Copeland)
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Radar Counter Measures (RCM)

RCM page 1
RCM page 1
RCM page 2
RCM page 2
RCM page 3
RCM page 3
RCM page 4
RCM page 4
RCM page 5
RCM page 5

Picture
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"Flimsy" radar operator mission instruction report/3 Dec 1944

Report
(courtesy J. Bowman) 


Post-mission radar report.  19 Jan 1945

Report
 (courtesy J. Bowman)

Radar document image
Radar document image from 6 Oct 44
Radar document image
Radar document image
Radar document image
Radar document image
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