Len's family received mail that the crew landed on Guam, his mother called his Grandmother who replied that her cousin Captain George McMillen, Naval Attache Governor of Guam had to surrender the island to the Japanese and was in a POW camp in Tokyo with General Wainwright. Captain McMillen was also from Youngstown.

In a matter of days our crew was introduced to a brand new B-29 (serial number 44-61524 designated as P9 of the 60th Bomb Squadron and we also met our ground crew who were the personnel who maintained the original P9. We were informed that we became the replacement crew and but was not clear which mission that the original crew failed to return - their first, second, or third.

Meeting our ground crew and working with them when P-9 was down for maintenance was a great opportunity to learn more about our aircraft. Occasionally, when an engine change was completed Capt. Welch would ask them to go along to 'slow time' a new engine. When they refused, we would have a big laugh. Did they know something that we didn't?

It was necessary to slow time a new engine for several hours as a normal mission was 14 to 18 hours and more importantly maximum engine performances for take-off to get the aircraft airborne with crew, ammo for the guns, fuel, and bombs; it is necessary to determine that the new engine met airworthy requirements and was up to the test. If our plane was down for maintenance; we would fly the mission in a 'standby' aircraft.

Our Crew was so fortunate to have an Airplane Commander with combat experience such as Capt. James W. Welch Jr. of St. Augustine, Florida. Capt. Welch flew a tour of duty out of North Africa as an A/C in B-24s, which included missions over the Polesti Oil refineries. Our pilot 1st Lt Richard Larson was an experienced B-17 pilot who transitioned into B-29 before joining our crew. Both our navigator and bombardier were instructors prior to signing up for combat which was comforting to the thoughts of other crew members preparing themselves mentally for combat.

To introduce some of the crew members to combat, Operations would assign the Airplane Commander, Bombardier, Navigator, and Flight Engineer to ride in the jump seat (for passengers) to different aircraft. Our Flight Engineer, F/O Bill Burke, was assigned to Crew P6. During take-off an engine fire occurred. The bombs were salvoed into the ocean, and during this night approach to the runway a wing impacted the runway and P6 went off the runway into the adjacent field and a fire broke out.

F/O Bill Burke went to the hospital for injuries incurred, and received the Purple Heart.

Sergeant Ray Swartz, Radio Operator, of Crew P6 was awarded the Soldier's Medal for his heroism in saving the lives of two fellow airman; his Airplane Commander and F/O Burke, the passenger from replacement Crew P9.

Corporal Estaban 'Steve' Garcia, tail gunner of P6, died in the hospital as a result of injuries incurred during the crash. The noncommissioned officers from replacement Crew P9 had the honor and privilege to be the pallbearers for Corporal Garcia's funeral on Guam.

Our Crew flew every scheduled mission beginning with a day raid 1 June 1945 thru 2 September, which was the 'Display of Power' mission, with the exception of one mission. We aborted one mission as the result of a propeller governor malfunction on No. 2 engine during preflight. The 'Display of Power' mission was an historical event for all B-29 crews as the various bomb groups in the 20th Air Force flew in formation over the battle ship Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay during the signing of the peace treaty between the Allied Forces and the Japanese.

The 'City of Youngstown' crew received the Distinguished Flying Cross as a result of enemy action on a day raid to Kobe, 5 June 1945, our second mission. During the 21 missions we received the Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters plus a Battle Star on our Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon for being in "Harms Way'"

With the Grace of the Good Lord our crew accumulated over 500 hours in the B-29's and flew the "City of Youngstown" to Mather Field Sacramento, Calif. We had the privilege to bring military personnel as passengers, high point servicemen, who were eligible for immediate discharge from other branches of service. This effort was called "Operation Sunset Project No. 2". The Golden Gate Bridge looked far more spectacular flying east than flying west!

Capt. Welch made every attempt to fly the "City of Youngstown" to Youngstown for Victory Bond Rally, which many of the other B-29 crews were doing; however, Air Force people declined the request as the runways at Youngstown Municipal Airport were only 3800' at that time and the Air Force required at least 5000'. This information was brought to the attention of the Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio and was announced in the local newspaper the "Youngstown Vindicator". I use to deliver that newspaper when I was a youngster living in Boardman, Ohio at 99 Ferncliff Avenue.