Enlisted in the Army Air Corps (ASN: 36867554) and completed Aerial Gunnery School.

Assigned to aircrew #84-14 and underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska.

In December 1944, he deployed to the Central Pacific Theatre of Operations and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 313th Bomb Wing, 505th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), 484th Bomb Squadron stationed at North Field on Tinian in the Mariana Islands.

ON 10 FEBRUARY 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE LEFT BLISTER STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS (TAIL #42-24867).

It was one of 120 aircraft launched in a multi-wing group formation to bombard the Nakajima Aircraft Assembly Plant at Ota on the northwest side of Tokyo, Japan. After a flight of approximately seven hours and some 1,200 nautical miles, his aircraft reached their check-point above Mount Fuji on the main island of Honshu, and began their bomb-run northeast towards the Tokyo area.

While over the target area, the group was attacked by a band of Nakajima Ki-44 single-engine "Tojo" fighter planes. His B-29 aircraft was forced out of group formation and shot down, resulting in the loss of the aircrew.

Initially listed as MIA, he was declared KIA one year later on 11 Feb 1946.

Joseph J Pilgrim, Jr