On April 16, 1945, 1st Lt. John D. O'Reilly, his crew, and one passenger were lost en route from Kwajalein to Depot Tower, with North Field, Guam as their ultimate destination. The weather conditions at the time were relatively mild, with an east-southeast wind of 8 mph, a sky coverage of 3/10 to 6/10, and visibility of 12 miles. The last radio contact with the crew occurred at 1356 Guam time. Captain Robert H. Mitchell of Marine Transport Squadron 952, who witnessed the accident, reported that shortly after taking off from Agana on a routine instrument flight, he saw a four-engine plane, approximately 600 feet above the water, gliding along the east coast of Guam. The plane continued its descent into the water, skipping once before exploding and burning on impact. Mitchell and his team immediately proceeded to the scene, spotting what they believed to be one survivor. They dropped a raft and smoke bombs to mark the survivor's position, but by the time the Dumbo rescue plane arrived at 1430, the situation had deteriorated. The wreckage, which had drifted closer to shore, was found with an open life raft and the survivor about 50 feet southeast of the aircraft. James A. Kane, a Gunner's Mate 1/C with the 49th Seabees, also witnessed the crash from Triangle Point. Around 1356, he observed the B-29 flying low over the water and heading directly into Pago Bay. The aircraft, failing to gain altitude, made contact with the water in a 5-degree descent and burst into flames. Within minutes, most of the plane sank, making it difficult to determine if anyone had escaped.
1st Row (Left to Right)
M/Sgt Roy V. Duncan - P-11
M/Sgt Otto Seier, P-12
M/Sgt George Beaver, P-10
M/Sgt Angelo Repucci, P-6
M/Sgt Edward Williams, P-3
2nd Row (Left to Right)
S/Sgt Anthony J. Scaffidi - P-11
S/Sgt David Schulman, P-10
Jesse Grubb, P-12
Unknown, P-11
3rd Row (Left to Right)
Sgt Floyd Dawson, P-12
Sgt Thomas Smith, P-10
S/Sgt Leonard S. Trester, P-12
Cpl Walter M. Rusin, P-11
4th Row:S/Sgt Robert Laird, P-5
T/Sgt John J. Essig, P-10
S/Sgt David Potters, P-10
5th Row (Left to Right)
S/Sgt Ralph Johnson, P-10
Unknown, P-11
S/Sgt James Regopoulas, P-6
S/Sgt Michael Revock, P-5
S/Sgt Robert Wisniski, P-6
6th Row (Left to Right)
S/Sgt Stanley Phillips, P-5
S/Sgt Raymond Schwartz, P-6
S/Sgt Estaban Garcia, Jr.P-6
S/Sgt John Tynan, P-6
S/Sgt John Magirl, P-5
7th Row (Left to Right)
S/Sgt Robert Brown, P-12
S/Sgt Leonard L. Celmer, P-12
