J L Payne

Born in 1923 at Arkansas. Enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 18 November 1942 at Jefferson Barracks near Saint Louis, Missouri. Underwent B-29 aircraft operational combat crew training at Smoky Hill Army Air Field near Salina, Kansas. Deployed to the Central Pacific Theatre of Operations and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 73rd Bomb Wing, 499th Bombardment Group, 878th Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. On 18 December 1944, he flew as the Radar Operator aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Tail Code V-Square-24 (Serial # 42-24773). It was one of 89 aircraft launched in a multi-group formation to bombard the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Company and Aircraft Engine Plants near Nagoya, Japan. Flak from anti-aircraft artillery was meager and Japanese fighter aircraft attacks were described as moderate. However, his aircraft sustained approximately 30 fighter attacks and went into a steep wing over to the left dive, with flames coming from the forward bomb bay area and smoke trailing from the # 2 engine. When last sighted, two enemy fighter planes followed his aircraft as it descended through the cloud cover at 20,000 feet. He was declared killed in action after the war ended.