World War II Honoree

Everett Peter Abar

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

West Burke, Vermont

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED AS AN AVIATION CADET IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 7 NOVEMBER 1941 AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. GRADUATED FROM Advanced FLYING SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. ASSIGNED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATIONS 8TH AIR FORCE, 56TH FIGHTER GROUP, 61ST FIGHTER SQUADRON. FLEW THE LOCKHEED P-38 LIGHTNING TWIN-ENGINE FIGHTER WHILE STATIONED IN NORTH AFRICA. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PRATT 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, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 870TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. DURING THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 13-14 APRIL 1945, HE FLEW IN THE LEFT SEAT AS THE AIRPLANE COMMAND PILOT ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED 'WHEEL N’ DEAL' (SERIAL #42-24604) TAIL CODE: A-SQUARE-24. IT WAS ONE OF 348 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-WING OPERATION TO BOMBARD THE JAPANESE ARMY ORDNANCE DEPOT AT TOKYO, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS MEAGER AND JAPANESE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED WITHIN THE IKEBUKURO DISTRICT OF TOKYO.