Chenggong 呈贡

We will soon provide here the story of B-24J L.A.B. bomber #42-100040 and crew that disappeared on May 26, 1944. Crew names were: 2nd Lt. Rex D. Arnold - Co-Pilot (OK) 2nd Lt. Seymour Goldsmith - Navigator (NY) S/Sgt. Matthew O. Kelsey - Gunner (CA) T/Sgt. Paul J. Koerner - Gunner (MD) S/Sgt. Anthony S. Kryscio - Radar Operator (PA)...

Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) #5346 describes his loss. He flew over with the B-24 bomber airplane itself and was an early member of crew, from Pottsville, PA. Newspaper reports at the time said this was his first mission in China on coming from India (although other personal accounts make it his third mission.) Only two short letters from him...

Wall and gate of Chenggong, on the road to Camp Schiel and near the American base at Chenggong, during WWII, March 1945. Yunnan, China. In the CBI during WWII.

A section of city wall and gate to Chenggong (Chengkung), possibly going back to the final days of the Ming Dynasty, 400 years before. Two Chinese men carry a wealthy Chinese merchant on a “hua-gan" (滑竿) pole chair. Image courtesy of Tony Strotman.

Armament crew, 16th Fighter Squadron, in front of "armament shack," Chenggong (Chengkung), China, during WWII. About 15 miles out of Kunming.

A Chinese woman and child start a fire next to a pipeline in which gasoline is flowing, 15 miles out of Kunming, next to the road to Chenggong (Chengkung). During WWII.

Control tower (arrow, center) and enlisted men's barrack (right center) of the 1339th AAFBU at Chengkang (Chengkung), Yunnan province, China. Four B-24s are scattered around the field.

A city wall with gate and local people in Yunnan province, China. This is similar to the wall and gate at Chenggong, but not identical... it may be another gate at Chenggong. Views out from inside the gate here and here.

2nd Lt. Lyle L. Schulzkump, pilot of B-24 #42-100040, that disappeared on May 26, 1944, on a L.A.B. mission. About this flight, of a Consolidated B-24J-65-CO Liberator, http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1942_5.html says: "Crashed into mountain 50 mi S of Mengtze, China near present border of Vietnam May 26, 1944 while on radar recon mission to Hainan Island. All aboard killed. From China Up...