“Downed Baker Two Five”
May 16, 1945, began as many other days, but its events lived on in the memories of the 3rd Bomb Squadron members for many years. In the early morning hours, six B-25 crews were briefed at Liangshan on separate targets in the Ichang, Chingmen, and Shashih triangle in western Hubei Province for the purpose of hitting enemy troops and supplies on low-level bombing and strafing raids. Typical of the Chinese-American Composite Wing at this time, three aircrews were made up of all-Chinese members, and three crews were entirely Americans. Tragically, one of these bombers did not return. Aircraft #722 was hit by enemy fire over Japanese-held Ichang and crashed, burning as it went down. Five members of the crew died in the crash, and a sixth was injured as he bailed out. Captured by the enemy, he died soon afterward. The fate of these heroes was not discovered until after the war had ended.