MAY 8 "Saturday - Take off 6:00 Bombed Rangoon's Mahlwagon yards from 25,000. All bombs hit in the yards. A.A. was intense & very close. Two enemy ships appreared below us & was fired upon. Cartridge cases from the ships before us put many holes & dents in our ship. One case tore a large hole in my turret cover. Luckily it was almost opposite where my head was at the time. Time 10:05" Capt. Kellogg would transfer to the 9th Bomb Squadron in December 1943. On May 8, 1944 his ship B-24J #42-73302, while on a mission to lay mines in Sattahip Harbor, Thailand, would be ditched after being struck by 20mm shells. He survived the War as a POW and was liberated.
Fellow Airmen Who Were Killed In Action
On 25 November 45, SSgt. Leo S. Malach (G), TSgt. Sidney A. Nunez (E-G) & SSgt. Theodore L. Malacha (G) [L-R, Above] were Killed In Action as members of a crew led by 1Lt. Thomas S. Ingham, Jr.. Aboard B-24J 42-73070, they were a part of a formation to bomb targets in the Rangoon area. About 15 minutes from the target area they were attacked by Japanese fighter planes. The bomber lost #1 engine and they fell behind the formation, losing altitude. They dropped their bombs over the target and seemed to hold 9,400 feet until just south and east of Akyab, when they went into a heavy cloud bank and were not seen again.
Capt. Benjamin P. Joy [Above, receiving a commendation from Col. Necrason - 1Lt. Emil Kremer to Joy's left] was Killed In Action on 23 January 44. Joy was the pilot of B-24J #42-73067, nicknamed "Rangoon Rosie", on a bombing mission to Mergui on the Malayan Peninsula. Shortly after coming off the bomb run the bomber was attacked from the front by a Japanese Zero. The bomber started down with smoke pouring from the tail. Although the plane was under control, fire raged inside and it crash landed on a strip of beach. It slid into the water and began to disintigrate as the forward portion was engulfed in flames. The wreckage came to rest and sank about 75 yards off shore from the village of Thingnaw. Eight men aboard died in the crash. Only the navigator, 1Lt. Charles S. Huppman and the Flight Engineer, TSgt. Grant L. Butcher made it to shore, although both were injured. Huppman died soon after. Butcher was taken prisoner by the Japanese, but survived to be liberated and died in 1981.
Dad volunteered for service after Pearl Harbor, like so many did. He went to the recruitment office the day after Pearl Harbor, and there were so many guys there, they told them to come back in a month. He entered service Jan 8, 1942 at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, and discharged on Sept. 4, 1945 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He arrived at Bishnupur India on March 19, 1943 after flying in a B-24 with the rest of his crew (David Kellogg, pilot) from Topeka AAB, via S. America, Africa, to Karachi. Last record of combat mission with 436th was on Feb 4, 1944. After that, he went to the 5319th AAF Flex Gunnery School at Bholari Field (Karachi). He left Karachi, India for the USA via ATC on August 20, 1944. He was a Staff Sergeant, ASN 15073643. Various orders I have show his MOS was 748, airplane mechanic-gunner. He was a top turret gunner during combat with the 436th BS. I see on his IFR his duty during nearly all flights was "G" which I think is gunner. Occasionally he was listed as "E", so once in a while he was assigned as engineer. Rest In Peace, Sir. With the Thanks of a grateful Nation.
Staff Sergeant Edward G. DeCapita, ASN 15073643
10th Air Force / 7th Bombardment Group / 436th Bombardment Squadron
Airplane Mechanic / Gunner - Kellogg Crew
Entered Service: 8 Jan 42 Fort Hayes - Columbus, OH
Arrived in Theater: 19 March 43 Bishnupur, India
To Zone of Interior: 20 Aug 44
Separated: 4 Sept 45 Camp Atterbury, Indiana
Distinguished Flying Cross w/OLC Air Medal w/OLC
(Images/Info Courtesy of Michael DeCapita, Son)
Sgt. DeCapita, Topeka Army Air Base
(Image courtesy of 7th BG Historical Foundation)
Kellogg Crew
Back, L-R: Capt. David N. Kellogg (P), Swanson, 1Lt. Edward J. Weaver (N)
Lt. William L. Jacobson (B), Sgt. George Geyer
Front, L-R: SSgt. Donald Erb, SSgt. Edward G. DeCapita (G), SSgt. David W. Roberts
unk, Sgt. Reginald C. "RC" Jones (TG)
Bishnupur, India 1943
(Click on images to enlarge.)
SSgt. DeCapita (right) stands by as SSgt. Charles F. Caldwell
receives Air Medal and DFC from Col. Conrad F. Necrason
SSgt. DeCapita, 3rd from right
From Journal Entry Above:
William Jacobson, Edward G. DeCapita (standing) & Reginald Jones - CBIVA 2004 Reunion
Edward & Mrs. DeCapita w/son Michael
Edward DeCapita's Photo Collection
Click on images to enlarge
Fellow Members of The Kellogg Crew
Photos Above, L-R:
Sgt. Reginald C. "RC" Jones, Tail Gunner
TSgt. George C. Geyer
Lt. William L. Jacobson, Bombardier - at far right
SSgt. David W. Roberts, Flight Engineer
TSgt. Donald L. Erb
Capt. David N. Kellogg, Pilot
(Click on images to enlarge.)
Recollections from Michael DeCapita, son
SSgt. DeCapita's Obituary
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