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1Lt David Cowden Campbell
Monument

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1Lt David Cowden Campbell Veteran

Birth
Ellettsville, Monroe County, Indiana, USA
Death
3 Dec 1944 (aged 26)
At Sea
Monument
Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA Add to Map
Plot
Courts of the Missing
Memorial ID
View Source
David served as a First Lieutenant and Aircraft Commander on B-29 #42-63461, 870th Bomber Squadron, 497th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during WW II. Based on the MACR this B-29 did not have a nickname.

He resided in Monroe County, Indiana prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on July 12, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a typist and also as Single, without dependents.

David was married sometime after his enlistment.

B-29 #42-63461 took off, with a crew of 11 as a part of Mission #10, from Isley Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over Nakajima aircraft factory in Tokyo, Japan during the war.

After a successful mission and while returning to base they ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the sea approx. 20 miles northeast of Isley Field, Saipan. The entire crew was lost in this ditching.

David was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-730374

Husband of Vivian Campbell who resided in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

" ----- Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-63461 ----- "
Altman, William ~ 2nd Lt, Engineer, MO
Campbell, David C. ~ 1st Lt, Commander, IN
Cobb, Robbie L. ~ Sgt, Gunner, KY
Farris, Jone W. ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, OK
Garavel, George R. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, CT
Moye, James R. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, NC
Rouse, Joseph R., Jr. ~ S/Sgt, CFC, LA
Swiler, Lloyd K. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, MN
Wills, George L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, GA
Witucki, John J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, IL
Wright, Murel F. ~ Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA

" ----- Mission #10 Report ----- "
Bombing results unsatisfactory on primary ----- 2,580 square feet destroyed and unobserved on secondary. 2.5% hit target ---- Eight aircraft bombed secondary ---- Eight early returns two of which bombed pagan Island ---- One aircraft lost to enemy aircraft and four ditched ---- Enemy air opposition slight to moderate ---- 75 attacks were made with 10 destroyed, 11 probably destroyed and 18 damaged ---- AA heavy, meager to intense, inaccurate ---- Average bomb load: 5,000 lbs ---- Average gas reserve: 815 gallons.

" ----- B-29's lost on this mission included ----- "
B-29 #42-24181:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew "
B-29 #42-24656:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew "
B-29 #42-24735:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew
B-29 #42-63432:
---- " Click Here - One crew member lost
B-29 #42-63461:
---- " Crew noted above "

( Crew & Mission Report by: Russ Pickett )

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previously added to Find A Grave,
source unknown:
Note: Based on the MACR this crew ran out of fuel and was not shot down by a enemy fighter plane as noted below.

1st Lieutenant Campbell was the Aircraft Commander of U.S. Army Air Corps
B-29-20-BA Superfortress #42-63461. Shot down by enemy A6M3 fighter while on
bombardment mission to the Musashino Aircraft Engine Factory near Tokyo, Japan,
with the loss of all eleven crew aboard. With the 497th Bomb Group, 870th Bomb
Squadron.
David served as a First Lieutenant and Aircraft Commander on B-29 #42-63461, 870th Bomber Squadron, 497th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during WW II. Based on the MACR this B-29 did not have a nickname.

He resided in Monroe County, Indiana prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on July 12, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a typist and also as Single, without dependents.

David was married sometime after his enlistment.

B-29 #42-63461 took off, with a crew of 11 as a part of Mission #10, from Isley Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over Nakajima aircraft factory in Tokyo, Japan during the war.

After a successful mission and while returning to base they ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the sea approx. 20 miles northeast of Isley Field, Saipan. The entire crew was lost in this ditching.

David was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-730374

Husband of Vivian Campbell who resided in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

" ----- Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-63461 ----- "
Altman, William ~ 2nd Lt, Engineer, MO
Campbell, David C. ~ 1st Lt, Commander, IN
Cobb, Robbie L. ~ Sgt, Gunner, KY
Farris, Jone W. ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, OK
Garavel, George R. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, CT
Moye, James R. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, NC
Rouse, Joseph R., Jr. ~ S/Sgt, CFC, LA
Swiler, Lloyd K. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, MN
Wills, George L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, GA
Witucki, John J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, IL
Wright, Murel F. ~ Sgt, Tail Gunner, PA

" ----- Mission #10 Report ----- "
Bombing results unsatisfactory on primary ----- 2,580 square feet destroyed and unobserved on secondary. 2.5% hit target ---- Eight aircraft bombed secondary ---- Eight early returns two of which bombed pagan Island ---- One aircraft lost to enemy aircraft and four ditched ---- Enemy air opposition slight to moderate ---- 75 attacks were made with 10 destroyed, 11 probably destroyed and 18 damaged ---- AA heavy, meager to intense, inaccurate ---- Average bomb load: 5,000 lbs ---- Average gas reserve: 815 gallons.

" ----- B-29's lost on this mission included ----- "
B-29 #42-24181:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew "
B-29 #42-24656:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew "
B-29 #42-24735:
---- " Click Here to see the Crew
B-29 #42-63432:
---- " Click Here - One crew member lost
B-29 #42-63461:
---- " Crew noted above "

( Crew & Mission Report by: Russ Pickett )

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Previously added to Find A Grave,
source unknown:
Note: Based on the MACR this crew ran out of fuel and was not shot down by a enemy fighter plane as noted below.

1st Lieutenant Campbell was the Aircraft Commander of U.S. Army Air Corps
B-29-20-BA Superfortress #42-63461. Shot down by enemy A6M3 fighter while on
bombardment mission to the Musashino Aircraft Engine Factory near Tokyo, Japan,
with the loss of all eleven crew aboard. With the 497th Bomb Group, 870th Bomb
Squadron.

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from Indiana.




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