World War II Honoree

Benjamin Eakins Crowell, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Avondale, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN IN 1941 AND ENLISTED AS AN AVIATION CADET IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. EARNED HIS PILOT WINGS AT THE LUBBOCK ARMY FLYING SCHOOL IN TEXAS AND WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES. ASSIGNED TO THE 473RD SCHOOL SQUADRON AND FLEW SINGLE-ENGINE VULTEE BT-15 TRAINER AIRCRAFT AT ENID ARMY AIR FIELD, OKLAHOMA. GRADUATED FROM MULTI-ENGINE TRAINING AND FLEW BOMBERS ON ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROLS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, WHILE BASED IN NORTH WEST AFRICA. VOLUNTEERED FOR THE B-29 PROGRAM AND WAS SELECTED TO COMMAND 'CREW A-46' DURING B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PRATT ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. IN SEPTEMBER 1944, DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 871ST BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 9 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW IN THE LEFT SEAT AS THE AIRPLANE COMMAND PILOT ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS NICKNAMED 'MIS BEHAVIN' (SERIAL #42-24655) TAIL CODE: A-SQUARE-46. 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. AFTER THE BOMB RUN, HIS #2 ENGINE WAS STRUCK BY AN OUT OF CONTROL NAKAJIMA KI-44 'TOJO' FIGHTER PLANE. HIS BOMBER WAS LAST SIGHTED BY B-29 A-SQUARE-48 TEN MILES EAST OF CHOSHI POINT OFF MAINLAND JAPAN AT 20,000 FEET AND UNDER ATTACK FROM 15 ENEMY FIGHTER PLANES. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN THE KATORI DISTRICT OF CHIBA PREFECTURE ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOKYO. THE NEXT DAY A B-17 'DUMBO' SEARCH PLANE WAS DISPATCHED TO THE OCEAN AREA OFF CHOSHI POINT, BUT NO WRECKAGE OR SURVIVORS WERE EVER FOUND. HE WAS DECLARED KILLED IN ACTION ONE YEAR LATER.