Wilbur Earl Hurlbutt

Before military duty, he operated an auto garage in Ontario County, New York. In 1931, he purchased a set of plans to build a "Pietenpol Air Camper" airplane kit, and learned to fly it without taking any formal instructions. Later he bought a Waco 10 bi-plane and obtained a private pilot's license.

When Canada entered World War II in September 1939, experienced pilots from the United States were asked to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as flight instructors.

Aug 1940: Commissioned a flying officer (F/O) in the RCAF; assigned as an aviation instructor stationed at Toronto, Ontario Province in Canada. Also assigned as a staff pilot to the Bombing & Gunnery School at RCAF Jarvis, Ontario Province.

After the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, Flight Lieutenant (FLT) Hurlbutt transferred from the RCAF to the US Army Air Corps, with the USAAF rank of Captain at Randolph Field, Texas.

Dec 1942: He flew the twin-engine Beechcraft AT-11BH "Kansan" while assigned as commanding officer of Training Section 4, the 965th BFT Squadron at San Angelo Army Air Field, Texas.

13 May 1943: While assigned as a staff officer, he graduated with Bombardier Class 43-7 from the San Angelo AAF Bombardier School.

14 May 1944: After flying the Boeing B-17F, he underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Walker Army Air Field near Victoria, Kansas.

In September 1944, he deployed to the Central Pacific Theatre of Operations and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 73rd Bomb Wing, 500th Bombardment Group, 882nd Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands.

On 3 January 1945, he flew in the left seat as the Airplane Command Pilot aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed "The Leading Lady" (serial #42-24766) Tail Code: Z-Square-22. It was one of 97 aircraft launched in a multi-group formation to bombard the port facilities and urban areas of Nagoya, Japan.

Flak from anti-aircraft artillery was meager, and enemy fighter aircraft attacks were described as moderate, with 346 passes reported. About 10 minutes after bombs away, his aircraft exchanged gunnery fire with an attacking Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien "Tony" fighter plane. His aircraft was struck by the "Tony" between the nose fuselage and the #3 engine.

He was killed when his disabled aircraft crashed and burned about 30 kilometers southeast of Nagoya, in Sodame forest near the village of Matsudaira.

Air Crew of B29 "Leading Lady" shot down over Tokyo Japan on January 3 1945

Major Wilbur "Barney" Hurlbutt, pilot - far right

Wilbur Earl Hurlbutt

On 3 January 1945, he flew in the left seat as the Airplane Command Pilot aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed "The Leading Lady" (Serial # 42-24766) Tail Code: Z-Square-22. It was one of 97 aircraft launched in a multi-group formation to bombard the port facilities and urban areas of Nagoya, Japan.

Flak from anti-aircraft artillery was meager, and enemy fighter aircraft attacks were described as moderate, with 346 passes reported. About 10 minutes after bombs away, his aircraft exchanged gunnery fire with an attacking Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien "Tony" fighter plane. His aircraft was struck by the "Tony" between the nose fuselage and the #3 engine.

He was killed when his disabled aircraft crashed and burned about 30 kilometers southeast of Nagoya, in Sodame forest near the village of Matsudaira.