SWEEPY-TIME GAL (PIC 1)

NAME

SER

BLK

SERIAL #

RCL/#

V#-P

PHOTO CREDITS

SWEEPY-TIME GAL

42-40622

308

373

00-1

BRAYDON L. HASSINGER

Lost 18 Apr 44, CHN - MACR 9126 - Pilot Glenn A. McConnell

Contributor - Jana Churchwell-Scott

Info Contributor - Jack Gross
L to R: 2nd Lt. Glenn McConnell (P), T/Sgt. Peter Maholick (E), Sgt. Tony Spadafora (AR), S/Sgt. John Orovecz (G tail), S/Sgt. Barton Owens (AE), 2nd Lt. Samuel Auslander (CP), T/Sgt. Robert Berman (R), S/Sgt. Carl Holley (armorer), 1st Lt. Robert Moessner (B), 1st Lt. Robert Carney (N)
The loss of the aircraft was described in a June 1995 article of Air Force Magazine, vol. 78, no. 6, entitled Four Engine Fighter Pilot by John L. Frisbee, and in the 14th AF Assoc. Jan-Feb 2002 Jing Bao Journal, vol. 55, no. 344 in a letter by the pilot, Glenn McConnell. SWEEPY-TIME GAL was on a solitary patrol over the South China Sea, and made two bomb runs on a target east of Victoria Island (Hong Kong). It was attacked by three Japanese Navy Zeros while at an altitude of 100' which shot out both starboard engines. The B-24 hit the water, cart wheeled, and broke up. The wreckage and survivors were repeatedly strafed by the Zeros and a Japanese patrol boat. The pilot, Glenn McConnell and Tony Spadafora, asst. radio operator (wounded) were picked up by a Japanese ship and spent the remainder of the war as POWs. Some bodies were recovered by the Japanese - not all. Seven are still MIA. In addition to the combat crew, Lt. John Mroz - a radar maintenance operator - hitched a ride on the mission to observe the radar in action. The bomber was pulled from the water by the Japanese... http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1995/June%201995/0695valor.aspx

Info Contributor - Daniel L. Stockton
Pilot Glenn McConnell stayed in the Air Force after the war, flying B-29s, B-47s, and B-52s in Strategic Air Command. He retired as a Colonel, probably the only four-engine "fighter pilot" of World War II, or any other war, to shoot down an enemy heavy in a dogfight.