Walter Leroy Bartram, Jr.

Born 15 September 1924 in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Tuesday 9 June 1942, graduated with Class of 1942 at John Harris High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Employed by Middletown Air Supply Depot at Olmsted Army Air Field south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Forces on 7 April 1943 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Completed basic military training at Miami Beach, Florida.

Graduated from Radio Operator and Mechanics Course at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota.

Received Gunner's Wings from Aerial Gunnery School at Yuma Army Air Field, Arizona.

Saturday 1 January 1944, married Miss Jean Louise Strawinski at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas.

In October 1944, deployed to the Central Pacific Theatre of Operations and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 73rd Bomb Wing, 499th Bombardment Group, 877th Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands.

On 9 January 1945, he flew as an Aerial Gunner in the left blister station aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress nicknamed "Wugged Wascal" (Serial #42-24658) Tail Code: V-Square-3.

It was one of 72 aircraft launched in a multi-group formation to bombard the Musashino Aircraft Works and Nakajima Aircraft Engine Factory near Tokyo, Japan.

After the bomb run, his aircraft was last contacted by radio at a geographic location of 25 degrees +30 minutes North and 146 degrees +30 minutes East; stating that they were having "operational difficulties."

He was killed when his aircraft was forced to ditch in the ocean approximately 250 miles east of Iwo Jima. The next day a B-17 "Dumbo" search and rescue plane was dispatched to the area, but no wreckage or survivors were ever found.

Initially listed as MIA, he was officially declared KIA one year later.

Walter L Bartram Jr