World War II Honoree

Langdon Guy Hill Winslow

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Boise, Idaho

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED AS AN AVIATION CADET IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 23 FEBRUARY 1944 AT SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA. GRADUATED FROM PILOT TRAINING SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW 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, 875TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 3 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW IN THE RIGHT SEAT AS A PILOT ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, TAIL CODE T-SQUARE-42 (SERIAL #42-24748). IT WAS ONE OF 97 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE PORT FACILITIES AND URBAN AREAS OF NAGOYA, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS MEAGER, AND ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE, WITH 346 PASSES REPORTED. HE WAS KILLED ON THE RETURN ROUTE HOME, WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED, AND BURNED ON THE VOLCANO ISLAND OF ANATAHAN ABOUT 63 MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN.