Last update: 13 November 2023

Crew 16

Sixteenth plane to take off from the USS Hornet on 18 April 1942

Datasheet

- Aircraft Squadron:	89th Reconnaissance Squadron
- Serial number plane:	40-2268
- Name of the plane:	Bat out of Hell - no individual markings - only name
- Take off date:	18 April 1942
- Take off time:	Take off @ 09.19 am ship time USS Hornet
- Place in line to take off:	16th and last
- Take off direction:	Take off @ about 35 40 N 153 40 E
- Bombs on board:	4 cluster incendiaries
- Bombed area in Japan:	Nagoya (Achi)
- Bombing of Japan - local time:	between 02:15 pm and 02:25 pm
- Fate crew - 18 april 1942:	Crash landing in the South Chinese Sea between Ningbo and Taizhou, China at 10.25 pm on April 18, 1942
- Fate plane - 18 april 1942:	Crash landing in the South Chinese Sea between Ningbo and Taizhou, China

The Crew

34th Bomb Squadron

Target

Nagoya (Achi)

The story of Crew 16

Each crew/plane, except plane 16/crew 16, circled around the USS Hornet after they took off. They flew over the deck of the USS Hornet to adjust the compass and the drift sight was lined on the white lines âinted on the deck of the USS Hornet.

59 minutes after crew 01 flew off the deck of the USS Hornet crew 16 took off. There was an accident during the take-off. A sailor named Robert Wall on board of the USS Hornet fell into a propeller standing on de slppery deck.

The weather was rough and stormy. When we got to the next-to-last bomber, Bob Wall was helping hold the plane's restraining ropes that had been untied from the deck. The ship's bow came climbing up the face of a big wave and as it started down the wave's backside, the bomber's nose wheel jumped up off the deck and sailor Robert Wall fell forward into a propeller. The gunner on the sixteenth plane climbed down and dragged sailor Robert Wall out of the way. The left arm was almost gone at the shoulder. A collection on his behalf was taken on board of the USS Hornet. He was presented $2,700. Bob Wall survived the accident and World War 2. He died on 19 September 2002 in Poway, California.

After dropping their bombs the plane flew direction China over the East Chinese Sea.

They jumped out of the plane near Nanchang, a Chinese city in Japanaese hands (28°41'25.0"N 115°53'18.9"E). Within one hour the complete crew of plane 16 was captured by the Japanese occupying forces in China. The touched the ground after bailing out in the Chinese Jiangxi province.

This crew never arrived in Chongqing, China.

Lieutenant William Farrow was executed on 15 October 1942. He was cremated. After the war he was reburied in Arlington, Virginia.

Sergeant Harold Spatz was executed on 15 October 1942. He was cremated. After the war he was reburied in Honomulu, Hawai.

After the execution and cremation the remains were taken into the International Funeral Home in Shanghai, China.

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3 pictures. Left : the execution field where 3 Doolittle Raiders were executed on 15 October 1942. Middle : we'll make them pay and right you see a picure of the Kian Wang camp taken inside the camp were the captured Doolitte Raiders were kept as POW. Copyright @ nara-usa - public domain.

Crew picture : copyright @nara-usa - public domain - colored by : Our colorful history @ https://www.facebook.com/historyrestored - used with permission - Thank you so much for the wonderful crew pictures.