World War II Honoree

Robert Ross Abel

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Taft, California

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 30 DECEMBER 1942 AT FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT WALKER ARMY AIR FIELD NEAR HAYS, 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 AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE CENTRAL FIRE CONTROL BARBER CHAIR STATION 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. SHOT IN THE LEG AND UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE BURNING BOMBER, HE WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH.