https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20485969

Otis Forest Lowry (standing 3rd from left) Born in 1919, to Otis K. (1894-1974) and Clara E. (1895-1982) Lowry of Freeport, Brazoria County, Texas.

Graduated from Quanah High School, Hardeman County, Texas in 1937.

Attended Texas A&M two years, and Texas Technological College for one year.

He enlisted (ASN: 38081779) in the Army Air Corps on 29 January 1942 at Camp Wolters near Mineral Wells, Texas.

On 8 August 1942, began Primary flight training at the AAF Contract Pilot School in Sikeston, Missouri.

Completed Basic flight training at Enid Army Air Field, Oklahoma.

On 20 March 1943, graduated with Advanced twin-engine flight training Class 43-C and received pilot wings (ASN: O-675607) at Pampa Army Flying School, Texas.

After flight instructor duty at Pampa, he completed the B-24 Liberator four-engine pilot school at Liberal AAF, Kansas.

In June 1944, married Miss Harriett Price (daughter of M&M W.D. Price).

Assigned to aircrew #84-15, he underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska.

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, Aircrew 84-15, stationed at North Field (aka;Ushi Point Airfield) on Tinian in the Mariana Islands.

On 10 February 1945, he flew in the left seat as the Airplane Command (APC) Pilot aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress nicknamed "The Sassy Lassy" (serial #42-24843), call sign: Victor-43.

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. This bombing mission #29 involved flying 1,500 miles to get to Japan, making the bomb run, and then flying 7.5 hours back to Tinian. In order to increase bomb carrying capacity, his B-29 aircraft fuel load was kept to a minimum. While over the target area, the group was attacked by a band of Nakajima Ki-44 single-engine "Tojo" fighter planes.

On the return route home his battle damaged aircraft ran low on fuel and was forced to ditch near Pagan Island approximately 320 kilometers north of Saipan, and he did not survive the rough ocean crash landing (Ref: MACR 12017).

NOTE: Publication: Pampa Daily News Location: Pampa, Texas Issue Date: Friday, December 28, 1945 Page: 2 Lt. Otis Lowry's Death Confirmed First Lieut. Otis Lowry, husband of Mrs. Harriett Lowry, 521 North Summerville, has been announced as among 349 additional Army dead in the Pacific region.

Otis F Lowry