"Booze Hound"
Z Square 6
The Calhoun Aircrew
The photo of the Calhoun crew comes from the 73rd Bomb Wing photo archives. (Courtesy J.Bowman).
The "Booze Hound", Z Square 6, # 44-69746, was the replacement aircraft for the loss of the "Draggin Lady." Lt. Patrick Calhoun and original of crew of "Draggin Lady" transferred to this aircraft, except for our Uncle Bob.
Technically, Uncle Bob never flew on "Booze Hound." "Booze Hound" was the aircraft that replaced Uncle Bob's original plane "Draggin Lady" that was lost on 23 February 1945. "Booze Hound" flew it's first mission on 5 March1945.
Lt. Patrick Calhoun and all of Uncle Bob's original crew mates flew together on both of these planes until they completed all their missions and were sent home.
"Booze Hound" survived the war. (R.Cookson)
The Booze Aircrew
The replacement crew of Lt. George Booze flew B-29, # 44-69746, to Saipan from the United States circa
1 March 1945, and shared it with Lt. Patrick Calhoun and the original Z Square 6 crew after the loss of the
"Draggin Lady" in February 1945. Calhoun's men remained the primary crew on the replacement aircraft.
This aircraft #44-69746, flew 46 credited missions and survived the war. It later flew a tour of duty in Korea, where it was nicknamed the "September Song."
*Our research indicates that the Lt. Calhoun and Lt. Booze aircrews may have shared this replacement aircraft on missions flown.
Standing, L to R: Kneeling, L to R:
1/Lt George L. Booze, AC S/Sgt Malcolm B. Einstein, Radio
2/Lt John H. Johnsen, CP S/Sgt Seymour Leven, TG
2/Lt Gerald L. Auerbach, N S/Sgt Edward L. Keller RG
1/Lt Eldo H. Platte, B Sgt. Schwenk, LG
S/Sgt Ellis A. Johnson, FE Sgt Henry C. Siers, Ring G
"As for the date of this Booze photo, I can't say exactly, but it has to be after 1 Mar 1945, because the Booze crew was a replacement crew whose first mission
was on 5 Mar 45. Their first mission was also the first mission for "Booze Hound", 44-69746, the replacement aircraft for the first Z-6, 42-24694, "Draggin' Lady",
which was lost in an accident on 23 Feb 45." (J.Bowman)
The 'Booze Hound' in flight
Her Nose Paint...
 L-R standing: Maples, Wortovitch,Kolesh, Dodds, Merrick,Calhoun, Portigal
L-R kneeling: Unknown, Gerson, Gaither, Bulloch |
 A/C Patrick Calhoun |
Prepping Z-6 for a mission, probably May/June 1945. Notice removal of nose art effective April 1945
Synopsis of the day to day life of the Calhoun crew (#110) of the replacement Z Square 6,
#44-69746, which would be called the "Booze Hound".
Lt. George Booze and his men would be the secondary crew on this aircraft.
This is continued from the "Draggin Lady" page to this replacement aircraft.
4 March 45-Target: MUSASHINO/TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flying Z Square 11, to again try to bomb Target 357, the Nakajima Aircraft Engine Factory.BUT, bad weather again diverted the aircraft and they bombed urban Tokyo by radar
from 28,000 feet. They were hit by flak on the right wing outboard of the #4 engine.
Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
5 March 45-Target: WSM-Unknown destination. Lt. Booze and crew flew their very first mission. Also the first
mission for this aircraft.
10 March 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flying Z Square 11 on this mission. (Booze crew flying Z Square 6, "Booze Hound.") This is the first
low-level, mass incendiary, night time raid against Japan. All aircraft would fly alone to and from the target. Calhoun crew dropped bombs from 7800 feet. Pilot Dodds called it the "first burn job on Tokyo."
83,000 Japanese were killed and 16 square miles of the city destroyed.
Flight time: 14 hours, 18 minutes.
12 March 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew again flying Z Square 11, and Booze flying Z Square 6, "Booze Hound." Calhoun had to abort this mission due to an unlatched bomb bay door, and #3 prop stuck. Good bombing results on this second low-level,
mass incendiary raid to Japan.
Flight time: 1 hour, 35 minutes.
14 March 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew again in Z Square 11,and Booze flying Z Square 6. Third low-level, mass incendiary raid.
Booze bombed the target at 6800 feet. BUT, according to Pilot Richard Dodds on Z Square 11, "Our radar was bad and we were unable to locate ourselves until it was too late to go to the target. We bombed a Naval Station on the coast as a
target of opportunity."
Flight time: 14 hours, 40 minutes.
17 March 45-Target: KOBE.
A Lt. Lewis flying the Z Square 6 on this mission. Fourth low-level, mass incendiary raid upon Japan.
Sad day for the Calhoun crew, as their old radar operator, Bob Cookson, was KIA when his aircraft was rammed by a Japanese fighter over Kobe.
18 March 45-Target: WSM-NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew flew this mission and dropped incendiary bombs from 27,000 feet on Target 198, the Aichi Aircraft
Works. Large fires observed.
Flight time: 15 hours 50 minutes.
24 March 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Booze and crew fly this low-level, precision bombing mission to strike at the Mitsubishi Aircraft Engine Factory. One bomb hung up in the bomb bay. All aircraft flew solo to and from the target as they did on all these night missions.
27 March 45-Target: OITA, on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew bombed the airfield at Oita in support of the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. Dropped demolition
bombs from 15,000 feet with good results.
Flight time: 15 hours, 25 minutes.
31 March 45-Target: KYUSHU.
Calhoun and crew dropped demolition bombs from 15,000 feet on the Tachiari Machine Works. Accurate bombing results. One bomb failed to release and had to be manually pried from the shackle.
Flight time: 15 hours.
2 April 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flew the Z Square 9, "Nina Ross" on this night mission. Dropped demolition bombs from 6,800 feet. They were caught in the searchlights for several minutes and received 2 holes from flak in the aircraft.
Take off weight from Saipan was 141,000 pounds.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
8 April 45-Target: KANOYN AIRFIELD or KAGOSHIMA, Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew flying the Z Square 5, "They'll Always Be A Christmas" (Booze flying Z Square 6) dropping demolition bombs from 17,000 feet. Weather was very bad so they bombed Kagoshima by radar.
Flight time: 14 hours, 37 minutes.
13 April 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flew this night incendiary mission and bombed the Tokyo Arsenal by radar from 7800 feet. Good results.
Flight time: 13 hours, 40 minutes.
15 April 45-Target: TOKYO and KAWASAKI.
Booze and crew flew on this raid and bombed by radar from between 8900 and 9700 feet.
16 April 45-Lt. Calhoun and his crew are sent to Hawaii for much need R/R!
Included were Dodds, Kolesh, Merrick, Portigal, Gaither, Maples, Bulloch, Dortch, Gerson, & Wortovich.
7 May 45-Calhoun and his crew return from R/R in Hawaii.
10 May 45-Target: TOKUYAMA.
Calhoun and his crew participate on this incendiary bombing mission on the Japanese Naval Station oil storage facilities.
Bombed from 15,000 feet with excellent results. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 15 hours, 20 minutes.
**Lt. Booze and crew depart for "lead crew school" at Muroc, California.
14 May 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew participate on the daylight incendiary raid on Nagoya. Bombed from 19,000 feet with good results.
472 B-29s bombed the target. Many fighter attacks and heavy flak, CFC gunner Gaither suffered cuts on his hands when his dome was hit by shells from a Japanese fighter.
Flight time: 16 hours, 5 minutes.
17 May 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew flew this low-level, mass incendiary mission and bombed from 9800 feet with good results. Flew
individually to the target and back.
Flight time: 14 hours, 4 minutes.
19 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew were supposed to bomb the Tachikawa Arsenal west of Tokyo, but due to severe weather diverted to and
bombed HAMAMATSU. Bombed by radar from 21,000 feet. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 13 hours, 15 minutes.
23 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew on another low-level, mass incendiary raid to the Japanese capital. Bombed from 8600 feet with excellent results. BUT, there were so many B-29s in the sky that Lt. Dodd's said they came "very close to being rammed by other B-29s several times."
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
25 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew on another low-level incendiary raid against Tokyo, bombing from 9600 feet with excellent results. Were caught in the searchlights as well as updrafts from the fires which tossed them around.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
29 May 45-Target: YOKOHAMA.
Calhoun and crew on another incendiary raid and bombed from 19,000 feet with excellent results. Received some flak damage. First time they had fighter escort. They escorted six P-51s back to Iwo Jima, but one P-51 pilot had to bail out 30 miles North of Kito Jima.
Flight time: 14 hours, 45 minutes.
1 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew flew this daylight incendiary raid. Bombed from 18,000 feet. Three square miles of the city destroyed. Lost their #2 engine due to flak hit in the oil cooler. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
5 June 45-Target: KOBE.
Calhoun and crew on this early morning incendiary raid.Bombed from 16,500 feet. Four square miles of city destroyed.
Flight time: 14 hour, 50 minutes.
7 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew on this incendiary raid and bombed from 19,500 feet by radar due to poor weather conditions over the target. Dodds again flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 35 minutes.
9 June 45- **The 500th Bomb Group raised the mission requirement to rotate home from 30 to 35 missions due to the critical lack of veteran and replacement crews in many instances. Especially needed: A/C Pilots, Co-Pilots and radar
operators.
10 June 45-Target: MUSASHINO/TOKYO.
A Lt. Althoff and crew flew this mission in Z Square 6, to bomb the still operationat Target 357, the Nakajima Engine
Aircraft Factory.
15 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew flew another daylight incendiary mission this time to the Amagasaki area of Osaka. Bombed by radar
due to solid cloud cover over target from 21,000 feet.
Flight time: 14 hours, 35 minutes.
17 June 45-Target: Calhoun and crew escorted 33 P-47 fighter aircraft whowere changing stations, to the small island of
Ie Shima, just off the west coast of Okinawa. Flew at 10,000 feet. They did not get credit for this, and according to Richard Dodds, the crew was "very disgruntled about this."
Flight time: 14 hours, 10 minutes.
***Interesting Note: For some reason after escorting the fighters to Ie Shima, Lt. Calhoun made a U-turn and buzzed the fighter landing strip on the island. Much to the surprise and chagrin of his crew, who were afraid the American GIs
might shoot them down. (See Charles Maples page.)
19 June 45-Target: FUKOKA on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew flew Z Square 16, "Je Reviens" on this incendiary raid and bombed by radar from 9800 feet.
Smoke and turbulence was terrific over the target, and they were also caught in 4-6 searchlights.
Right rear bomb bay door would not close after being hit by one of the B-29s own bombs when dropping.
Flight time: 14 hours, 51 minutes.
22 June 45-Target: KURE Naval Arsenal.
Calhoun and crew flew as "lead" aircraft in the 3rd element (for the first time) in this daylight precision bombing
mission. Bombed from 18,500 feet. Heavy, accurate flak encountered from Japanese warships in the harbor. resulting in damage to their horizontal stabilizer.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
26 June 45-Target: OSAKA arsenal.
Calhoun and crew on a daylight, precision bombing mission. Bombed by radar from 25,000 feet due to bad weather
and heavy clouds. All planes bombed individually.
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
29 June 45-Target: SASEBO on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew on a night incendiary raid and bombed from 10,200 feet by radar. A bomb jammed in the rear bomb rack on the A/C side of the aircraft, and radio operator Charles Maples crawled into the bomb bay and kicked it free. Flight time: 14 hours, 34 minutes.
2 July 45-Target: KUMAMOTO on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew bombed by radar from 10,400 feet on this incendiary raid.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
4 July 45-Target: KOCHI on Shikoku.
Calhoun and crew second to take off from Saipan on this incendiary bombing mission. Bombed by radar from
10,200 feet.
Flight time: 13 hours, 50 minutes.
7 July 45-Target: AKASHI.
Calhoun and crew on this night, incendiary raid on this target just west of Kobe. Bombed by radar from 7800 feet.
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
Flight Engineer, Lt. Francis Merrick, completed his missions.
10 July 45-Target: SAKAI, near Osaka.
Calhoun and his crew were the fourth path-finder aircraft over the target on this incendiary raid. Bombed by
radar from 10,800 feet.
Group Radar Officer, Capt. Arthur Miller and Capt. Earl Hunt of the XXI Bomber Command accompanied the crew. Flight time: 13 hours, 35 minutes.
Completing their 35 missions were:
Sgt. Charles Maples, radio operator;
Sgt. Alexander Wortovich, tail gunner;
Lt. Victor Kolesh, Flight Engineer;
Lt. Horace Portigal, Bombadier.
13 July 45-Target: ICHINOMIYA, N.W. of Nagoya.
Calhoun and remaining crew flew Z Square 19, "Sharon Sue" on this incendiary, radar bombing mission from
10,000 feet. Bad weather covered the target area resulting in poor results.
17 July 45-Target: OITA, on Kyushu.
Calhoun and remaining crew flew this night incendiary mission. Bombed by radar from 10,000 feet. Good results.
Flight time: 14 hours, 0 minutes.
According to Lt. Dodds, he and all remaining original crew members of the Z Square 6, plus Harry Gerson,
have completed their 35 missions and are headed home.
20 July 45-Target: HITACHI (80 miles NE of Tokyo.)
Lt. Powers (?) and his crew flew the Z Square 6 on this night, incendiary mission.
24 July 45-Target: OSAKA arsenal.
Lt. Fox (?) and his crew flew the Z Square 6 on this daylight precision bombing mission.
Lt. Victor Kolesh, F.E. left for temporary duty at Muroc, California.
Probably for "lead" crew training.
25 July 45-Capt. Patrick Calhoun left for temporary duty at Muroc, California.
Probably for "lead" crew training.
29 July 45-Lt. Richard Dodds, Pilot, Sgt. Harry Gerson, radar operator, and Sgt. Douglas Bulloch, left gunner,
have completed their 35 missions. Together with Lt. Francis Merrick, F.E., they departed Saipan on an armed cargo
boat headed for Hawaii and home.
Thankfully within a few weeks the war would be over, and all of our boys would be coming home.
#44-69746, which would be called the "Booze Hound".
Lt. George Booze and his men would be the secondary crew on this aircraft.
This is continued from the "Draggin Lady" page to this replacement aircraft.
4 March 45-Target: MUSASHINO/TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flying Z Square 11, to again try to bomb Target 357, the Nakajima Aircraft Engine Factory.BUT, bad weather again diverted the aircraft and they bombed urban Tokyo by radar
from 28,000 feet. They were hit by flak on the right wing outboard of the #4 engine.
Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
5 March 45-Target: WSM-Unknown destination. Lt. Booze and crew flew their very first mission. Also the first
mission for this aircraft.
10 March 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flying Z Square 11 on this mission. (Booze crew flying Z Square 6, "Booze Hound.") This is the first
low-level, mass incendiary, night time raid against Japan. All aircraft would fly alone to and from the target. Calhoun crew dropped bombs from 7800 feet. Pilot Dodds called it the "first burn job on Tokyo."
83,000 Japanese were killed and 16 square miles of the city destroyed.
Flight time: 14 hours, 18 minutes.
12 March 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew again flying Z Square 11, and Booze flying Z Square 6, "Booze Hound." Calhoun had to abort this mission due to an unlatched bomb bay door, and #3 prop stuck. Good bombing results on this second low-level,
mass incendiary raid to Japan.
Flight time: 1 hour, 35 minutes.
14 March 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew again in Z Square 11,and Booze flying Z Square 6. Third low-level, mass incendiary raid.
Booze bombed the target at 6800 feet. BUT, according to Pilot Richard Dodds on Z Square 11, "Our radar was bad and we were unable to locate ourselves until it was too late to go to the target. We bombed a Naval Station on the coast as a
target of opportunity."
Flight time: 14 hours, 40 minutes.
17 March 45-Target: KOBE.
A Lt. Lewis flying the Z Square 6 on this mission. Fourth low-level, mass incendiary raid upon Japan.
Sad day for the Calhoun crew, as their old radar operator, Bob Cookson, was KIA when his aircraft was rammed by a Japanese fighter over Kobe.
18 March 45-Target: WSM-NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew flew this mission and dropped incendiary bombs from 27,000 feet on Target 198, the Aichi Aircraft
Works. Large fires observed.
Flight time: 15 hours 50 minutes.
24 March 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Booze and crew fly this low-level, precision bombing mission to strike at the Mitsubishi Aircraft Engine Factory. One bomb hung up in the bomb bay. All aircraft flew solo to and from the target as they did on all these night missions.
27 March 45-Target: OITA, on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew bombed the airfield at Oita in support of the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. Dropped demolition
bombs from 15,000 feet with good results.
Flight time: 15 hours, 25 minutes.
31 March 45-Target: KYUSHU.
Calhoun and crew dropped demolition bombs from 15,000 feet on the Tachiari Machine Works. Accurate bombing results. One bomb failed to release and had to be manually pried from the shackle.
Flight time: 15 hours.
2 April 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flew the Z Square 9, "Nina Ross" on this night mission. Dropped demolition bombs from 6,800 feet. They were caught in the searchlights for several minutes and received 2 holes from flak in the aircraft.
Take off weight from Saipan was 141,000 pounds.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
8 April 45-Target: KANOYN AIRFIELD or KAGOSHIMA, Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew flying the Z Square 5, "They'll Always Be A Christmas" (Booze flying Z Square 6) dropping demolition bombs from 17,000 feet. Weather was very bad so they bombed Kagoshima by radar.
Flight time: 14 hours, 37 minutes.
13 April 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew flew this night incendiary mission and bombed the Tokyo Arsenal by radar from 7800 feet. Good results.
Flight time: 13 hours, 40 minutes.
15 April 45-Target: TOKYO and KAWASAKI.
Booze and crew flew on this raid and bombed by radar from between 8900 and 9700 feet.
16 April 45-Lt. Calhoun and his crew are sent to Hawaii for much need R/R!
Included were Dodds, Kolesh, Merrick, Portigal, Gaither, Maples, Bulloch, Dortch, Gerson, & Wortovich.
7 May 45-Calhoun and his crew return from R/R in Hawaii.
10 May 45-Target: TOKUYAMA.
Calhoun and his crew participate on this incendiary bombing mission on the Japanese Naval Station oil storage facilities.
Bombed from 15,000 feet with excellent results. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 15 hours, 20 minutes.
**Lt. Booze and crew depart for "lead crew school" at Muroc, California.
14 May 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew participate on the daylight incendiary raid on Nagoya. Bombed from 19,000 feet with good results.
472 B-29s bombed the target. Many fighter attacks and heavy flak, CFC gunner Gaither suffered cuts on his hands when his dome was hit by shells from a Japanese fighter.
Flight time: 16 hours, 5 minutes.
17 May 45-Target: NAGOYA.
Calhoun and crew flew this low-level, mass incendiary mission and bombed from 9800 feet with good results. Flew
individually to the target and back.
Flight time: 14 hours, 4 minutes.
19 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew were supposed to bomb the Tachikawa Arsenal west of Tokyo, but due to severe weather diverted to and
bombed HAMAMATSU. Bombed by radar from 21,000 feet. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 13 hours, 15 minutes.
23 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew on another low-level, mass incendiary raid to the Japanese capital. Bombed from 8600 feet with excellent results. BUT, there were so many B-29s in the sky that Lt. Dodd's said they came "very close to being rammed by other B-29s several times."
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
25 May 45-Target: TOKYO.
Calhoun and crew on another low-level incendiary raid against Tokyo, bombing from 9600 feet with excellent results. Were caught in the searchlights as well as updrafts from the fires which tossed them around.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
29 May 45-Target: YOKOHAMA.
Calhoun and crew on another incendiary raid and bombed from 19,000 feet with excellent results. Received some flak damage. First time they had fighter escort. They escorted six P-51s back to Iwo Jima, but one P-51 pilot had to bail out 30 miles North of Kito Jima.
Flight time: 14 hours, 45 minutes.
1 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew flew this daylight incendiary raid. Bombed from 18,000 feet. Three square miles of the city destroyed. Lost their #2 engine due to flak hit in the oil cooler. Dodds flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
5 June 45-Target: KOBE.
Calhoun and crew on this early morning incendiary raid.Bombed from 16,500 feet. Four square miles of city destroyed.
Flight time: 14 hour, 50 minutes.
7 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew on this incendiary raid and bombed from 19,500 feet by radar due to poor weather conditions over the target. Dodds again flew the bomb run.
Flight time: 14 hours, 35 minutes.
9 June 45- **The 500th Bomb Group raised the mission requirement to rotate home from 30 to 35 missions due to the critical lack of veteran and replacement crews in many instances. Especially needed: A/C Pilots, Co-Pilots and radar
operators.
10 June 45-Target: MUSASHINO/TOKYO.
A Lt. Althoff and crew flew this mission in Z Square 6, to bomb the still operationat Target 357, the Nakajima Engine
Aircraft Factory.
15 June 45-Target: OSAKA.
Calhoun and crew flew another daylight incendiary mission this time to the Amagasaki area of Osaka. Bombed by radar
due to solid cloud cover over target from 21,000 feet.
Flight time: 14 hours, 35 minutes.
17 June 45-Target: Calhoun and crew escorted 33 P-47 fighter aircraft whowere changing stations, to the small island of
Ie Shima, just off the west coast of Okinawa. Flew at 10,000 feet. They did not get credit for this, and according to Richard Dodds, the crew was "very disgruntled about this."
Flight time: 14 hours, 10 minutes.
***Interesting Note: For some reason after escorting the fighters to Ie Shima, Lt. Calhoun made a U-turn and buzzed the fighter landing strip on the island. Much to the surprise and chagrin of his crew, who were afraid the American GIs
might shoot them down. (See Charles Maples page.)
19 June 45-Target: FUKOKA on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew flew Z Square 16, "Je Reviens" on this incendiary raid and bombed by radar from 9800 feet.
Smoke and turbulence was terrific over the target, and they were also caught in 4-6 searchlights.
Right rear bomb bay door would not close after being hit by one of the B-29s own bombs when dropping.
Flight time: 14 hours, 51 minutes.
22 June 45-Target: KURE Naval Arsenal.
Calhoun and crew flew as "lead" aircraft in the 3rd element (for the first time) in this daylight precision bombing
mission. Bombed from 18,500 feet. Heavy, accurate flak encountered from Japanese warships in the harbor. resulting in damage to their horizontal stabilizer.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
26 June 45-Target: OSAKA arsenal.
Calhoun and crew on a daylight, precision bombing mission. Bombed by radar from 25,000 feet due to bad weather
and heavy clouds. All planes bombed individually.
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
29 June 45-Target: SASEBO on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew on a night incendiary raid and bombed from 10,200 feet by radar. A bomb jammed in the rear bomb rack on the A/C side of the aircraft, and radio operator Charles Maples crawled into the bomb bay and kicked it free. Flight time: 14 hours, 34 minutes.
2 July 45-Target: KUMAMOTO on Kyushu.
Calhoun and crew bombed by radar from 10,400 feet on this incendiary raid.
Flight time: 14 hours, 30 minutes.
4 July 45-Target: KOCHI on Shikoku.
Calhoun and crew second to take off from Saipan on this incendiary bombing mission. Bombed by radar from
10,200 feet.
Flight time: 13 hours, 50 minutes.
7 July 45-Target: AKASHI.
Calhoun and crew on this night, incendiary raid on this target just west of Kobe. Bombed by radar from 7800 feet.
Flight time: 13 hours, 55 minutes.
Flight Engineer, Lt. Francis Merrick, completed his missions.
10 July 45-Target: SAKAI, near Osaka.
Calhoun and his crew were the fourth path-finder aircraft over the target on this incendiary raid. Bombed by
radar from 10,800 feet.
Group Radar Officer, Capt. Arthur Miller and Capt. Earl Hunt of the XXI Bomber Command accompanied the crew. Flight time: 13 hours, 35 minutes.
Completing their 35 missions were:
Sgt. Charles Maples, radio operator;
Sgt. Alexander Wortovich, tail gunner;
Lt. Victor Kolesh, Flight Engineer;
Lt. Horace Portigal, Bombadier.
13 July 45-Target: ICHINOMIYA, N.W. of Nagoya.
Calhoun and remaining crew flew Z Square 19, "Sharon Sue" on this incendiary, radar bombing mission from
10,000 feet. Bad weather covered the target area resulting in poor results.
17 July 45-Target: OITA, on Kyushu.
Calhoun and remaining crew flew this night incendiary mission. Bombed by radar from 10,000 feet. Good results.
Flight time: 14 hours, 0 minutes.
According to Lt. Dodds, he and all remaining original crew members of the Z Square 6, plus Harry Gerson,
have completed their 35 missions and are headed home.
20 July 45-Target: HITACHI (80 miles NE of Tokyo.)
Lt. Powers (?) and his crew flew the Z Square 6 on this night, incendiary mission.
24 July 45-Target: OSAKA arsenal.
Lt. Fox (?) and his crew flew the Z Square 6 on this daylight precision bombing mission.
Lt. Victor Kolesh, F.E. left for temporary duty at Muroc, California.
Probably for "lead" crew training.
25 July 45-Capt. Patrick Calhoun left for temporary duty at Muroc, California.
Probably for "lead" crew training.
29 July 45-Lt. Richard Dodds, Pilot, Sgt. Harry Gerson, radar operator, and Sgt. Douglas Bulloch, left gunner,
have completed their 35 missions. Together with Lt. Francis Merrick, F.E., they departed Saipan on an armed cargo
boat headed for Hawaii and home.
Thankfully within a few weeks the war would be over, and all of our boys would be coming home.
