Four plane crews went down on 3 December 1944 while flying a bombing mission, primarily to the "Nakajima" aircraft factory at Tokyo dock.

There were 12 crewmen on board the Rosalia Rocket, the same plane that my Uncle was Navigator on.

• Goffery was the first observed bailing out (per Schroeder)
• Schroeder bailed out second and was captured
• Schroeder observed Abel, who had been shot in the leg, preparing to bail out (climbing down from the turret)
• Schroeder indicated that he and Wright, who he observed had been burnt, were put into a truck
• Schroeder indicated that they were all then transferred to another truck where Ward and Wells were present. Schroeder observed that Ward said nothing other than answering roll call and Wells said his arm was hurt
• Schroeder indicated that after the Japanese took roll call in the truck they asked each of them if they were wounded. Schroeder stated he was not injured and was removed from the truck.
• At Kempei Tai Station, Schroeder indicated he saw King, Brugge, Goldsworthy, and Goffery all during his first week (this being in December)
• Goffery was removed to another camp in January
• 2 months later, Schroeder and Goldsworthy were moved to another camp
• Schroeder reports seeing King sometime in April

Now, according to the Appendix for Case History #064, signed by John A. Reitze 2nd Lt., QMC, the Japanese reported seeing a B-29 crash on 3 December 1944 near Omigzwa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan:

• Three men were seen jumping from the plane. These three men all landed near the Jindai-Muri village home office. One man was reported to be dead when he landed; another was seriously burnt; and the third landed safely. Japanese military authorities took all these men away. No one in the village knew where they were taken.

• Japanese military authorities while investigating the crash on 4 December discovered the remains of another airman. His body was removed but no one in the area knew what was done with the remains.

• On 5 December 1944 another body was taken from the wreckage and buried in the cemetery at Jindai-Muri.

• This body was re-interred in USAF Cemetery Yokohama #1 as Unknown X-376

• Three cremated remains were interred at the Military Mausoleum in Sakura-machi on 5 December 1944. These boxes were inscribed, "3 December 1944 - Plane Type B-29 - Spirit of Unknown American Flyers". These three men were said to have been removed from the plane which crashed at Omigawa.

• These three cremated remains were re-interred in USAF Cemetery Yokohama#1 as Unknown X-161, X-162, and X-163.

• The remains of three men who were supposed to have died in a B-29 crash on 3 December 1944 were disinterred at Chiba, Chiba Prefecture on 1 April 1946 by this Unit. These men's names, according to Japanese records were Wright, Wells and Wall (there was no Wall in this crew.)

According to the Appendix of T4J9-072:

Recovery Team #4 went to the City Cemetery in Chiba City, Chiba, Central Japan to investigate and disinter remains of Sgt. Wells, Sgt. Wright, and Cpl. Wall reported in case history #072.

The team contacted Mr. Toopzuka, clerk of the Chiba city hall, and learned the following information:

MISSING CREW REPORT CONCLUSIONS

1. The four plane crews whose status is considered herein all participated, 3 December 1944, in a bombing mission, primarily to the "Nakajima" aircraft factory at Tokyo dock and industrial area, and, as a target of opportunity, to Pagan Island, about two hundred and fifty miles north of their base in Saipan, Marianas Islands. Fairly heavy flak and very heavy fighter opposition was encountered over the primary target. The attack from high altitude, ranging to thirty-six thousand feet, began at about 2 p.m., and lasted for ninety minutes, during which fifty minute engagements with enemy one and two seater fighter planes were reported. All four of these planes sustained serious injury over or near the target and went down at different places before reaching their base.

The persons named in paragraph 1d, above, and three others not considered herein, comprised the crew of B-29 41B-W aircraft No. 42-24656. This plane had three engines shot out, the control cables shot away, and all electrical and communication systems destroyed shortly after passing over the target at about 2 p.m. One wing was blazing and there was a large fire in the front of the cabin. As the plane fell behind it was attacked by six or eight enemy fighters firing from all sides, and an attempt was made to slow down the formation to protect it. Meanwhile, it went out of control and into a thirty degree dive toward approximately ten fighter aircraft, with five to twelve fighters continuously attacking it, and disappeared. When last seen this place was over the northern part of Tokyo at an altitude of twenty four thousand feet on a heading of 80 degrees. It crashed near the target. Colonel King was pilot of the plane and was leading the 500th Bombardment Group over the target. Colonel Brugge, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, 73rd Wing, was aboard as wing observer. Major Goldsworthy, the regular pilot, was also present. Colonels King and Brugge, Major Goldsworthy, Lieutenant Warde, sergeants Goffery, Wells and Wright and Corporal Schroeder all bailed out safely and were captured by the Japanese. Lieutenant Patykula also bailed out but was not thereafter seen or heard from. One parachute was seen on fire and it is believed to have been his. Lieutenant Edwards, Sergeant Corrigan and Corporal Abel ware not know to have left the plane. Lieutenant Edward was last seen by Colonel King, in the ship. The fire had then spread very rapidly in the rear of the cabin and it is not known whether he managed to bail out. Sergeant Corrigan was last seen at his position in the tail of the plane as it was going down in flames. Corporal Schroeder has reported that they doubt if Corporal Abel ever got out of the plane. Colonel King, Colonel Brugge, Major Goldsworthy, Sergeant Goffery and Corporal Schroeder were taken to the same Japanese Federal Prison in downtown Tokyo, and remained there for several months. During that time Colonel Brugge was treated very harshly and his mind definitely began to fail him. On 3 February 1945 Major Goldsworthy and Corporal Schroeder were moved to another prison, where the major was informed a month later that Colonel Brugge had died in solitary. Lieutenant Warde and Sergeants Wells and Wright were with Corporal Schroeder in the back of a truck during the first night after capture, but were then separated from him and the other members of the crew. They were not seen or heard from thereafter. Corporal Schroeder knew nothing of injuries to these men except that Sergeant Wells complained of a painful arm. Major Goldsworthy concluded that they were placed in another prison camp, but had no idea what their fate might have been. About end of January, Sergeant Goffery was removed from his cell near the other four who had been placed in the downtown Tokyo prison, and was believed to have been taken to another prison. He has not since been seen or heard from.

2. Although it is twelve months since these persons became missing in action and approximately three months since the Japanese surrender, no report has been received in the War Department to indicate that any of these persons are alive.

3. In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances, it is concluded that the persons whose status is herein considered may not reasonably be presumed to be living "within the mean of Section 5 of the Missing Persons Act."

According to the Board of Review for Identification of Unknown Dead Overseas Remains Considered Identifiable, 30 June 1948: