B-24 "Burma Queen" In China

The "Burma Queen" in China during WWII. A Chinese guard keeps post in the merciful shade of the wing and a crew arms bombs on the ground not far from him.

The crew of B-24J serial #42-73253, of the 425th Squadron, got lost in weather during return from bombing the city of Changsha on 22 July, 1944. When fuel ran out they were forced to bail out in the vicinity of Tsuyung (Chuxiong, 楚雄机场), China. All returned to Kunming without serious injury by 28 July. Crew members that mission were:

2nd Lt. John P. Burkett (pilot)
2nd Lt. Wallace I. Ackerman (copilot)
2nd Lt. William U. DuMond (navigator)
2nd Lt. William Staskiewicz (bombardier)
S/Sgt. Herbert W. Robbs (engineer)
S/Sgt. Boleslaw A. Skurnowicz (radio op)
S/Sgt. Claude L. Crosby (ass't. engineer)
Cpl. Norman P. Reuter (asst. radio op)
Cpl. Leroy P. Miller (gunner)
Cpl. Vern S. Bergh (gunner)

According to recollections by the son of S/Sgt. Boleslaw A. Skurnowicz (radio op), his father related that the crew “borrowed” the Burma Queen for that mission, and it was not their regular plane, and the crew's regular plane did not have a name or nose art.

The mission report stated:

"MISSION 180, CITY OF CHANGSHA, 22 JUL 1944

On the afternoon of 22 October 1944, twenty-five B-24s took off from bases in the Kunming area to bomb the city of Changsha for the fourth successive time in six days.

Five planes, all from one squadron, became separated in bad weather and four of them turned back, as they had been cautioned against individually attacking this target in daylight. The fifth plane of this squadron bombed near Chuchow (27:51N-113:03E). Three planes, Nos. 778 [42-63778 NITEMARE], 862 [42-109862], and 301 [42-73301 GREMLIN HAVEN] were forced to turn back due to mechanical difficulties.

Flying in squadron formation, seventeen of the planes dropped 35.5 tons of incendiary bombs on the target with excellent results. Approximately 95% of the bombs struck in the target. Two planes, Nos. 253 [42-73253 BURMA QUEEN] and 444 [42-73444 FLOOGIE Jr.] got lost on returning and as a result, they arrived in the Kunming area after the weather had closed in and were unable to find an airfield to land."

Additionally, on this same mission, the crew of Plane No. 444 was also forced to bail out in the vicinity of Tsuyung, China, all returning without serious injury to Chengkung by July 30. Crew members were as follows: