This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Duane Kimbrow (Skip)
to remember
Bell, James Lloyd, A1C.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Modoc County
Last Address San Francisco, Californa/Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon
Casualty Date Jan 23, 1952
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Korea, North
Conflict Korean War
Location of Interment Buried at Sea - N/A, Pacific Ocean
A1C Bell was inducted from Oregon, most likely from Waterloo, Linn County, Oregon. He listed his home of record as San Francisco, California. He grew up in Oregon.
He was a crewman aboard B-29A (#44-87734) named "Double Whammy" with the 93rd Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Wing stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa. (Note: This bomber had dropped the first bombs on North Korea 28 June 1950).
On 23 January 1952, while on a night bombing sortie, the aircraft's engines died leaving one engine. Contact was lost between Okinawa and South Korea. Search and Rescue (SAR) results were negative.
Further details: 14 member crew lost in this incident. Runaway propeller sheared and cut into the fuselage. Location of loss listed as Chinnampo Mud Flats, North Korea/Over Sea of Japan.
Some of crew members were able to escape by parachuting from the aircraft with the help of SSgt. Law who remained on the plane, apparently unable to escape without help (according to persons who served on that aircraft with him). These men were captured by the North Koreans.
Note: Crew flight positions are not known at this time.
Crew Lost:
1st Lt. James Argetis, MIA
Cpl James L. Bell, MIA
SSgt. Richard B. Caldwell, MIA
Capt. William R. Fisher, MIA
SSgt. Asa Law, MIA
1st Lt. Hugh K. Thomson, MIA
Crew POW and Returned in "Operation Big Switch":
1st Lt. Bartus H. Carter
Cpl. Roderick G. Conn
1st Lt. Thomas L. Eyres
MSgt. Carrell T. Hodges
Capt. Garold B. Kubicek
PFC David Lewis
Cpl. George A. Wedsworth
Cpl. Travis C. Weldon
