World War II Honoree

Stanley J. Woch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Rome, New York

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 10 SEPTEMBER 1940 AT UTICA, NEW YORK. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 498TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 873RD BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 27 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE TAIL STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, TAIL CODE T-SQUARE-10 (SERIAL # 42-24767). IT WAS ONE OF 76 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE MUSASHINO ENGINE WORKS OF THE NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT COMPANY NEAR TOKYO, JAPAN. ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE THE HEAVIEST TO DATE, WITH 984 PASSES REPORTED. ON THE RETURN ROUTE HOME, WITH THE #1 AND #2 ENGINES FEATHERED AND LOSING ALTITUDE; HIS AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO DITCH IN ROUGH SEAS ABOUT 100 MILES NORTH OF IWO JIMA. THE AIRPLANE BROKE IN TWO AFTER IMPACT, AND THE TAIL END SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. LAST VISUAL CONTACT WAS FROM ANOTHER B-29 AIRCRAFT, T-SQUARE-37; GIVING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF THE CRASH AS 29 DEGREES-20 MINUTES NORTH AND 143 DEGREES-20 MINUTES EAST. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL AIRCREW MEMBERS WERE SIGHTED IN LIFE RAFTS, SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES BY AIR AND SEA RESCUE TEAMS FAILED TO LOCATE ANY OF THE CRASH SURVIVORS.