World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Thomas James Waters
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Canalou, Missouri
Honored By
Sam E. Pennartz
ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1942 AT SIKESTON, MISSOURI. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRES OF OPERATION AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 498TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 875TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON FEBRUARY 10, 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE TAIL STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS NICKNAMED 'SMALL FRY' (SERIAL #42-24760) TAIL CODE T-SQUARE-41. IT WAS ONE OF 120 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY PLANT AT OTA ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOKYO, JAPAN. WHILE OVER THE TARGET AREA, THE GROUP WAS ATTACKED BY A BAND OF NAKAJIMA KI-44 SINGLE-ENGINE 'TOJO' FIGHTER PLANES. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS B-29 AIRCRAFT SUFFERED FUEL STARVATION ON THE RETURN ROUTE HOME AND WAS FORCED TO DITCH IN ROUGH SEAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN.