JULY 24, 1945, BOMBING RUN FROM THE USS HANCOCK CV 19

The crew consisted of the following three people:

Navy Lt. Clarence A. Tiegee

Jack S. Keeley, Aviation Radioman Third Class

Luther P. Johnson, Aviation Ordnanceman Third Class

Information provided by Mr. HIROYUKI FUKAO of Japan

On July 24, 1945, in the Kure area, which was Japan's leading naval port, was subjected to a large-scale attack by American carrier-based aircraft. This included many of the aircraft from the USS Hancock CV19.The attack resulted in the downing of more than 20 American planes. Navy Lt. Clarence A. Tiegee plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed while attacking the aircraft carrier Amagi (or battleship Hyuga). The TBM crashed in a residential area, setting 10 houses on fire. This resulted in the deaths of four local people. Lt. Clarence A. Tiegee died when his parachute did not open and crashed into Hatanoyama in Ondo Town. Jack S. Keeley PO 3 died in the crash. Mr. Fukao reports both were given a very respectful funeral by the local people.

Luther P. Johnson Ordnanceman Third Class parachuted down and hid in the mountains for 12 days but was captured on August 3 and sent to the Kure Navy Prison. After the war ended, he was transferred to Navy Ofuna POW Camp on August 17 and returned to the United States.

When the TBM crashed, this area had lost many family members in the war, so hatred was directed extremely at the soldiers of the enemy country. However, Kazo Furukawa, the representative of the Fujiwaki area, told them,

"Their parents must be in America. How do the soldiers' parents feel? We must not disturb the bodies of American soldiers." In this way, Mr. Furukawa calmed the local people.

(By the way, Mr. Furukawa lost his wife and three children during the war.)

Once a person dies, they are free from sin. I want to mourn them just as I would my own son or daughter. With this explanation, he persuaded the local residents to cremate the bodies of American soldiers. Initially, he built a wooden cross (probably on a mountain he owned).

In 1951, the United States and Japan signed the Treaty of Peace with Japan.

At this time he replaced it with a stone cross.

Mr. Hiroyuko Fukao visited the crash site and the cross. To his surprise, they told him, "No American officials have visited here". He wanted to somehow convey this information to the family.

"Could we work together to find the families of the TBM that crashed here?". He said.