42-6282

 

On 5 June 1944, a B-29, # 42-6282, assigned to 20th Air Force, 40th Bomb Group, 395th Bomb Squadron, departed on a bombing mission, ran out of fuel, and ditched in the Bay of Bengal. The crew were:

                                                   Pilot                 Capt. John N Sanders                          0-412973

                                                   Co-Pilot           2ndLt William C Burrows Jr               0-805837

                                                   Navigator        2ndLt Sol (NMI) Fishman                   0-743882         KIA

                                                   Bombardier      2dLt William E Eckelmann                0-683128

                                                   Engineer          2ndLt Carl B. Moore                           0-861957

                                                   Radar               2ndLt William S Plattenburg               0-863020         KIA

                                                   Radio               SSgt Charles A Mack Jr                      13079527

                                                   Senior Gunner Sgt James J Drnek                               35535983

                                                   Right Gunner   Sgt David H Capshaw                         15383223

                                                   Left Gunner     Sgt Cleo A Baker                                37232012        KIA

                                                   Tail Gunner     SSgt Norman A Brothers                     31050672        KIA

Last contact was with Chittagong, India, radio.

Next-of-kin listing was limited to:

 

                                      Plattenburg      Mrs Ruth K Plattenburg, W, 636 Country Club Ln, Upper Darby, PA

                                      Fishman           Mrs Rae Fishman, M, 51 Plymouth St, New Bedford, Mass.

                                      Brothers           Mrs Gladys E Brothers, W, 146 S. Bend, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

                                      Baker               Mr Cleve A Baker, F, Gen. Del., Sheridan, MO

                                      Capshaw          Mrs Pauline M Capshaw, W, 1800 N. Courtland Ave, Kokomo, IN

FISHMAN, SOL, Second Lieutenant, #0-743882, USAAF

 

Sol Fishman was born 20 October 1920 in Massachusetts to David Fishman (1896-    ) and Rae Fishman (1897-    ) (both born Russia – emigrated 1913). Siblings included Morris Fishman (1917-    ) (NY) and Elizabeth “Betty” Fishman (1931-    ) (NY). His mother recorded him as an MIA Jewish serviceman while the family lived at 51 Plymouth, New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1946.

 

He enlisted in the USAAF at Fort Rodman, New Bedford, Massachusetts, on 8 April 1942. He was trained as a navigator for the B029 Superfortress and earned his commission and wings. On 5 June 1944, a B-29, # 42-6282, assigned to 20th Air Force, 40th Bomb Group, 395th Bomb Squadron, departed on a bombing mission, ran out of fuel, and ditched in the Bay of Bengal short of Chittagong, Burma. Four crewmen died and/or drowned in the crash and two bodies were recovered. His remains were buried in the Plainville Cemetery, New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.