World War II Honoree

Henry Hewson Warde

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Kearny, New Jersey

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 16 SEPTEMBER 1942 AT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. COMPLETED AVIATION CADET TRAINING AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT. 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 THE FLIGHT ENGINEER 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 SEVERELY WOUNDED IN THE CRASH, AND DIED THE NEXT DAY WHILE HOSPITALIZED IN CHIBA.