World War II Honoree

Walter John Patykula

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Trenton, New Jersey

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ARMY INFANTRY BRANCH ON 24 FEBRUARY 1941 AT FORT DIX NEAR TRENTON, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNED TO COMPANY E, 8TH INFANTRY REGIMENT AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA FOR INITIAL TRAINING. TRANSFERRED TO THE ARMY AIR CORPS AS AN AVIATION CADET AND COMPLETED PRE-FLIGHT TRAINING AT SANTA ANA ARMY AIR BASE, CALIFORNIA. GRADUATED FROM BOMBARDIER TRAINING CLASS 43-05 AT VICTORVILLE ARMY AIR FIELD, CALIFORNIA AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT. GRADUATED FROM AERIAL NAVIGATION SCHOOL TRAINING CLASS 43-11 AT HONDO FIELD, TEXAS. SERVED AS A BOMBARDIER INSTRUCTOR AT MIDLAND ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND BOMBARDIER-NAVIGATOR COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT WALKER ARMY AIR FIELD NEAR VICTORIA, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 500TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 881ST BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 3 DECEMBER 1944, HE FLEW AS THE BOMBARDIER ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED 'ROSALIA ROCKET' (SERIAL #42-24656) TAIL CODE Z-SQUARE-1. 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, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS FAIRLY HEAVY OVER THE TARGET AREA, AND ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE, WITH 75 PASSES REPORTED. AFTER BOMBS AWAY, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS ATTACKED BY A BAND OF ABOUT 14 MITSUBISHI A6M3 'HAMP' FIGHTER PLANES, INFLICTING DAMAGE TO THE #2, #3, AND #4 ENGINES, AND SETTING THE FORWARD FUSELAGE ON-FIRE. HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A RICE PADDY NEAR KAMISHIRO VILLAGE APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES NORTH OF TOKYO. HE WAS KILLED DURING BAIL-OUT WHEN HIS PARACHUTE CAUGHT FIRE.