World War II Honoree

Ray Moore Bell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Griggsville, Illinois

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND COMPLETED AERIAL GUNNERY SCHOOL. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT WALKER 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, 500TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 883RD BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 9 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE STARBOARD SCANNER BLISTER STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED 'MUSTN'T TOUCH' (SERIAL #42-24657) TAIL CODE Z-SQUARE-45. IT WAS ONE OF 72 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE MUSASHINO AIRCRAFT WORKS AND NAKAJIMA AIRCRAFT ENGINE FACTORY NEAR TOKYO, JAPAN. HOWEVER SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, HIS AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. DURING CLIMB-OUT THE #1 ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL, AND PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE WERE COMING FROM THE #4 ENGINE. AT 16,000 FEET HIS AIRCRAFT FEATHERED THE #1 ENGINE PROPELLER AND BEGAN TO ABORT THE SORTIE. LAST VISUAL CONTACT WAS AT A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF 28 DEGREES +10 MINUTES NORTH AND 137 DEGREES +30 MINUTES EAST. LAST RADIO CONTACT STATED THEY HAD LOST AN ENGINE AND WERE GOING TO DITCH IN THE OCEAN; APPROXIMATELY 900 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN. NO SURVIVORS WERE EVER FOUND, AND HE WAS DECLARED KILLED IN ACTION ONE YEAR LATER.