World War II Honoree

Milton Sumner Pierce

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Diego, California

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL TRAINING AT GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD, KS. 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 3 DECEMBER 1944, HE FLEW AS THE RADAR OPERATOR ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, TAIL CODE T-SQUARE-10 (SERIAL # 42-24735). IT WAS ONE OF 86 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE MUSASHINO AIRCRAFT WORKS AND NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT ENGINE FACTORY NEAR TOKYO. ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE, WITH 75 PASSES REPORTED. HE WAS KILLED ON THE RETURN ROUTE HOME, WHEN HIS BATTLE DAMAGED AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO DITCH IN THE OCEAN NEAR HACHIJO JIMA ISLAND APPROXIMATELY 290 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF TOKYO.