World War II Honoree

Oscar Lee Niece, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Beckham County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 19 JULY 1943 AT OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA. GRADUATED FROM FLEXIBLE GUNNERY SCHOOL AND UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PRATT 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, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 871ST BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 3 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE STARBOARD SCANNER BLISTER STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED 'JUMBO, KING OF THE SHOW' (SERIAL #42-63418) TAIL CODE: A-SQUARE-50. IT WAS ONE OF 97 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE PORT FACILITIES AND URBAN AREAS OF NAGOYA, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS MEAGER, AND ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE, WITH 346 PASSES REPORTED. AFTER BOMBS AWAY, HIS AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND EVENTUALLY RAN LOW ON FUEL. HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO DITCH IN ROUGH SEAS APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES NORTHWEST OF SAIPAN.