Maj.
Humphrey's "Postville Express" Comes Through
Jap Raid Unscathed
Superfortress was Named for Pilot's Home Town
Through the courtesy of Major Donald J. Humphrey and
the Public Relations Office of the 20th Bomber Command in
India, we are able to bring to Herald readers today the
first pictures released of the famous Superfortress,
"Postville Express." It was this ship that was
first over the target in the raid on the Japanese
homeland recently in which history was made.
Proud of his home town, Major Humphrey who piloted the
big Superfortress, has christened his ship
"Postville Express." What a thrill any of our
boys would get, were Donald to fly it to some base where
they are stationed. And that's just what's liable to
happen one of these days when the big bomber gets started
on its devastating mission of bombing the daylights out
of Japan's illgotten Pacific bases.
Here is the story sent with the pictures:
Headquarters, 20th Bomber Command, Somewhere in India
--Special to the Postville Herald, -- First B-29
Superfortress to reach the target and drop its bombs
during the recent night raid on the important industrial
center of Yawata, Japan, was the "Postville
Express," named for the Iowas home town of the
pilot, Major Donald J. Humphrey. The big bomber, its name
emblazoned in bold red lettering on the silvery fuselage,
completed the arduous mission, longest in bombardment
history, unscathed. In describing the attack, Major
Humphrey, 25-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. James T.
Humphrey, Postville, said the greatest strain on the crew
was "sweating out" the long flight, watching
for enemy fighters which never appeared.
"When we reached the target it was pitch
black," he declared after returning to his 20th
Bomber Command rear base in India. "We dropped our
bombs and then the Japs came to life. Searchlights went
on and poked around the sky for us. Our right gunner,
Sergeant Lindley (Staff Sgt. Ralph C. Lindley of Blencoe,
Iowa), said some of the lights his us momentarily, but
lost us almost immediately. He reported seeing ack-ack
flashes, but none came very close to our plane. Being
first over the target, I guess we caught them
napping."
Major Humphrey said none of his crew members spotted any
Jap fighters, although some of the Superfortresses to
reach Yawata later had contact with them.
A graduate of Postville high school, Major Humphrey
attended Loras College, Dubuque, and in 1940 graduated
from the State University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Humphrey is in Guerilla Unit
Overseas
Postville Man on Way Home After Big Experience
Far from home -- Lieut. Col. D.J. Humphrey,
26-year-old Postville man -- has come out of eight months
of fighting with the chinese guerila forces, and
international press dispatches reveal that he arrived
Tuesday at the Singapore naval base. His parents are Mr.
and Mrs. J.T. Humphrey of Postville. The young Lieut.
Colonel was one of three members of the first B-29 crew
to bomb Japan, later shot down in a second Superfort raid
on Singapore. Lt. W.F. Duffy, 28, Chicago, and Lieut.
E.C. Saltzman, Jr., 25, Washington, D.C., are the other
members of the heroic party. These three parachuted out
of their burning plane last Janusry 11. They landed in
jungle at least 200 miles north of Singapore, and
participated in guerilla operations in upper Malaya,
living on rice and hiking about 800 miles in all through
the jungle.
They were in contact with Chinese communist guerillas and
other similar groups in one secret camp and another until
they finally contacted allied guerilla agents. Humphrey
has served as a pilot, and was spokesman for the others
in telling the story of their long activity in the
jungle. Salzman was badly burned at the time of the
parachute jump, but the group managed to keep going
almost day and night, often in great danger. Once the
trio was only 100 yards from Japanese scouts. One gunner
was captured in such a skirmish but it has been learned
he was held a prisoner of war until recently and that now
he is enroute home. Duffy was ill of fever but has made a
good recovery. The men suffered from lack of food and
many other hardships in the jungle, because much of their
traeling was done barefoot so their foreign shoe prints
would not be detected by the Japanese. The tio contacted
an allied clandestine agent July 2, and by that time they
had walked some 600 miles, but as soon as they could
after hearing the news of Japan's surrender, a few weeks
later they were traveling again. This time, however, the
trip was by automobile to Singapore, where they were
received with joy, having been given up long since as
lost by many authorities. Thursday they will start their
air journey home, and that's today!
|
