MACR 14919 was issued for a B-29B, 42-63747, on a training bombing mission from Northwest Field, Guam to Rota Island, Marianas Islands. The crew from the 502nd Bomb Group, 402nd Bomb Squadron was lost when the aircraft crashed into the ocean on take off from Northwest Field. Lost were the following members of the crew:

1Lt Floyd W Wilkes, Aircraft Commander
2Lt Norman R Lawler, Pilot
1Lt David E Bakoff
1Lt William J Casey
1Lt Joseph S Kryshak
Cpl Vincent E Grimes
2Lt Leonard B Sieck
Cpl William E Wright
Cpl Franks J Yagusie
Cpl Robert E Aiken

Aircraft took-off at 2314 K, 9 July 1945 from Northwest Field, Guam, was seen to waver and slip from sight beyond the North East end of the island and crash into the ocean. One of the LCI's patrolling the area in which the crash occurred, saw the explosion of the plane, followed almost immediately by a second explosion which was audible at the airfield; the resultant fire was visible for miles. The entire area was throughly search by the Navy Air - Sea Rescue squad and a party consisting of approximately 10 officers and men, one and officer of the Bombardment Group, searched the beach area in the vicinity of where the crash occurred but no bodies of the men on the aircraft were found. A piece of material containing the plane number was found which identified the crashed plane. 1 Mae West, 1 glove and 4 green oxygen bottles were identified as accessories of the plane. The crash occurred approximately 2000 yards Northeast of the island, approximately 4 minutes after take-off.

Webpage by Larry Miller
September 1, 2011