Allen L. Morsch

World War II
-
POW
Fallen

County:
Foster

Date of Loss:

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
Staff Sergeant

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
458th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
330th Bomber Group, Very Heavy

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
Asiatic Pacific Theater

Circumstances:

B-29 #44-69799 was part of Mission 67. During the night of 13-14 April, 327 B-29's from the XXI BC attacked the Tokyo Arsenel with 2,120 tons of bombs. Seven B-29's are lost including B-29 #44-69799.

B-29 #44-69799 crashed in Sanuma, Omiya Village, Inashika County, Ibaragi Prefecture.

Only 1 airmen was "Killed In Action" in the crash. The others all became POW's of the Japanese Army and were put in the Tokyo prison.

The only airmen to perish in the crash was:

Kruse, George J, Jr ~ 2nd Lt., Radar Observer, IA

The area around the Tokyo prison was later bombed by the American Air Force. The prison, from this bombing, caught on fire and the Japanese guards locked the prison doors on the remaining crew from B-29 #44-69799. None of them survived the fire. The prison guards were later convicted at the War Crimes Tribunal and executed.

Allen was "Killed In Action" in this incident during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and the Prisoner Of War Medal.

Biography:

born Enderlin, ND 8 Dec 19; resident Foster County, ND; entered AUS Ft Snelling, Minn 9 May 42; served Asiatic Pacific Theater; KIA 26 May 45 Japan; buried in Plot Q, Grave 631, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.