World War II Honoree

Roland Laurier Albert

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lynn, Massachusetts

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 21 APRIL 1942 AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED VIA AFRICA TO THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATRE AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XX BOMBER COMMAND, 58TH BOMB WING, 444TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VERY HEAVY SPECIAL), 677TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT DUDKHUNDI AIRFIELD IN THE BENGAL PROVINCE OF INDIA. AS PART OF OPERATION MATTERHORN TO BOMB JAPAN, HIS B-29 AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN RANGE AND LOGISTICALLY STAGED A BOMBING MISSION THROUGH KWANGHAN AIRFIELD (A-3) NEAR CHENGDU, CHINA. ON 20 AUGUST 1944, HE FLEW AS THE NAVIGATOR ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS NICKNAMED 'PRAYING MANTIS' (SERIAL #42-6286). IT WAS ONE OF 75 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE IMPERIAL IRON AND STEEL WORKS AT YAWATA, JAPAN. AFTER BOMBS AWAY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST SIGHTED WHEN THE FORMATION WAS ORDERED TO DISPERSE FOR FLIGHT SAFETY DUE TO ONCOMING DARKNESS. AT 1210Z HUNDRED HOURS, RADIO DIRECTION FINDING CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT STATING THAT WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING, AND THAT THEY WERE LOST AND LOW ON FUEL. HE WAS KILLED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ABOUT 100 KILOMETERS FROM CHENGTU AND CRASHED IN THE REMOTE XILING SNOW MOUNTAIN RANGE.