World War II Honoree

Owen Orville Barnhart, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Richmond, California

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON MARCH 12, 1942 AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRES OF OPERATION, 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 505TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VERY HEAVY), 483RD BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT NORTH FIELD ON TINIAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON FEBRUARY 10, 1945, HE FLEW AS THE AIRPLANE COMMAND PILOT ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS NICKNAMED 'DEANER BOY' (TAIL #42-24815). IT WAS ONE OF 118 AIRCRAFT IN A FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT PLANT AT OTA, JAPAN. WHILE OVER THE TARGET AT AN ALTITUDE OF 28,000 FEET HIS AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A MID-AIR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER B-29 BOMBER, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT AND AIRCREWS.