World War II Honoree

Samuel Bracken Porter, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Kenova, West Virginia

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

15 June 1942: Enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps at Charleston, West Virginia. 29 June 1943: Graduated with Advanced Two-Engine Pilot Class. 30 June 1943: Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Walker Army Airfield near Victoria, Kansas. In November 1944, deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations and was assigned to the 882nd Bomb Squadron, 500th Bombardment Group (VH), 73rd Bomb Wing, XXI Bomber Command, 20th Air Force stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. On 23 January 1945, he flew as a Pilot in the right seat aboard B-29 serial #42-24785 nicknamed 'Homing De-Vice', tail code Z-Square-25 on a mission to bombard the Mitsubishi aircraft-engine factory at Nagoya, Japan. Over the target area enemy fighter passes were described as aggressive, with Z-SQ-25 suffering heavy damage to the #4 engine and the right wing tip being set ablaze. At least two aircrews saw the Superfortress turn over in a spin and crash into the sea at about 15 miles off the coast of Japan and directly south of Nagoya. With no parachutes seen, all crew members were declared Killed in Action.