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CochranContinued from Page 4Awas assigned to the 30th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group (Ven Heavy). The Bomb Group was activated as a B-29 unit on April 1, 1944, at Grea Bend Army Airfield, Kansas. It was here that Calvin met his future wife, Dorothy Montgomery. They married on Oct. 7,1944.The B-29 was the largest bomber in World War II. Providing a pressurized at mosphere for most of the crew, it could carry 16,000 pounds of bombs. It tool 6,988 gallons of 100-octane aircraft fuel. During the war, the B-29's engines wen Wright R-3350s. Twin rowed, supercharged and air cooled radials, these producei 2,200 horsepower. While later variants of these engines would prove reliabls workhorses, earlier production series presented serious problems, especially whei operated in tropical conditions. They had a tendency to swallow their valves.' Because of high magnesium content in their crankcase alloy, engine fires couk create fires burning as high as 5600 degrees, resulting in wing failure in an a mat ter of secondsAlong with most of the 19th Bombardment Group, Calvin left the U.S. fron Hamilton Field California and arrived on Guam in the Mariana Islands in Febru ary 1945. The 30th Bomb Squadron was part of forces used by General Curti; LeMay trying to subjugate Japan with massive bombing raids. High altitudi bombing was highly inaccurate so in March 1945, LeMay compelled the huglt; bombers to begin low-level incendiary bomb attacks. The resulting conflagratioi killed tens of thousands of civilians and leveled many Japanese cities. The 30tl took part in many of these raids, as well as tactical bombing raids against airfields and in support of the invasion of Okinawa. Its last combat mission was on Aug 14, 1945, one day before the end of the war. The unit then flew mercy missions dropping food and clothing to Allied prisoners of war held in Japan, Manchuria China and Korea. Calvin completed 31 missions.Army Air Forces Report of Major Accident No. 46-9-7-502 contained the officia analysis of the crash that took Flight Officer Cochran's life. The B-29 (Aircraf Number 44-61712) took off from Guam's North field on Sept. 7, 1945. There wa; a ten-man crew. As Flight Engineer, Calvin was stationed directly behind the pilo and co-pilot. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, crewmen reported that tht Number One engine was smoking under the stationary cowling flaps. The engini was feathered and the aircraft came back to base and attempted to land. The re port's conclusion:Ship M-28 came in for an emergency landing with §1 encine feathered. The majority or opinion la that the approach was low and one eye-witness states that the wheels struck 50 - 75 feet short of the runway. This witness states that the ship then bounced and the wheels next struck on the runway. Prom this point on. all witnesses are in agreement. The ship started to rise with the left wing low and started to bank to the left. Apparently, the Pilot applied power and ths ship rose to about 125 - 150 feet. The ship momentarily straightened out but then the left wing dropped and the ship veered to the left and crashed. One crew member states that he heard someone over interphone say that #2 engine has cut out Just as the ship started its final rise. Two crew members state that the flaps were being retracted at this time.Pilot* apparently used poor emergency landing technique by making a low altitude power on approach. This probably necessiated excessive rudder trim which nay have caused airplane to veer when power was cut.Calvin's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Robert Irwin, wrote to his wife, Doroth) shortly after his death. As one might expect, he did not dwell on the possible pilo error that may have contributed to her husband's death:The squadron was sent out on a training mission. There was engine problem am Calvin's plane was forced to return to land. As he was making his approach, the plan suddenly swerved. Power was applied but then another engine began acting up. “It is be lieved that upon application of power to straighten the plane out the second engine cu out, causing the plane to fall toward its bad engines, car wheeling the aircraft. The plan broke up and burned. Our crash trucks were on the scene immediately and soon brough the fire under control. However, five members of the crew were killed immediately upon im pact. Among them was your husband. Your husband's body was buried in a military ceme tery at Agat Village on Guam, Marianas Islands, Sunday afternoon, the 9 September 1945 with full military services. [The chaplain] of the 29th (sic) Bomb Group read th service. You can be proud of your husband for he did his job well, completed his missions, and finally gave his life that those whom he loved might continue to live in a world of security and peace.Cold comfort to a widow whose son, Joseph Calvin Cochran, Jr., was born on Sept. 6, 1945, one day before his father's death.A memorial service was held at the Smiley Baptist Church on Nov. 11,1945. Calvin's body was returned to mainland United States, and on Sunday, Feb. 6, 1949 at 2 p.m. a funeral service was held in the chapel of Pierce Funeral Home, with burial in the Luling City Cemetery.SilentValley Homes$795/Mo. • $795/Dep.2 Bedrooms /1 Bathroom with built on front porch, NEW down flow 3 ton A/C unit, all new appliances, all electric unit, washer/dryer connections, walk-in shower, ceiling fans Applications are now being accepted!512-376-5874 750 Silent Valley Rd
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Lockhart Post Register
Lockhart, Texas, US
Thu, Jun 19, 2014
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Geneva C.
USA 04 Oct 2020
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