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CochranContinued from Page 4Awas assigned to the 30th Bomb Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). The Bomb Group was activated as a B-29 unit on April 1, 1944, at Great 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 atmosphere for most of the crew, it could carry 16,000 pounds of bombs. It took 6,988 gallons of 100-octane aircraft fuel. During the war, the B-29's engines were Wright R-3350s. Twin rowed, supercharged and air cooled radials, these produced 2,200 horsepower. While later variants of these engines would prove reliable workhorses, earlier production series presented serious problems, especially when operated in tropical conditions. They had a tendency to swallow their valves. Because of high magnesium content in their crankcase alloy, engine fires could create fires burning as high as 5600 degrees, resulting in wing failure in an a matter of secondsAlong with most of the 19th Bombardment Group, Calvin left the U.S. from Hamilton Field California and arrived on Guam in the Mariana Islands in February 1945. The 30th Bomb Squadron was part of forces used by General Curtis LeMay trying to subjugate Japan with massive bombing raids. High altitude bombing was highly inaccurate so in March 1945, LeMay compelled the huge bombers to begin low-level incendiary bomb attacks. The resulting conflagration killed tens of thousands of civilians and leveled many Japanese cities. The 30th 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 official analysis of the crash that took Flight Officer Cochran's life. The B-29 (Aircraft Number 44-61712) took off from Guam's North field on Sept. 7, 1945. There was a ten-man crew. As Flight Engineer, Calvin was stationed directly behind the pilot and co-pilot. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, crewmen reported that the Number One engine was smoking under the stationary cowling flaps. The engine was feathered and the aircraft came back to base and attempted to land. The report's conclusion:
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Lockhart Post Register
Lockhart, Texas, US
Thu, Jun 19, 2014
Page 9
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Geneva C.
USA 04 Oct 2020
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