WW2 Fallen - Harrison Wittee, B-29 Bombardier, POW

Nose art from the B-29 Lt. Wittee flew on his final mission over Japan.
http://www.497thbombgroupb29.org/nose_art.htm

Harrison K. Wittee could have been 100 years old today. 

He was born on March 21, 1917 in Illinois. He had completed high school, was working as a manager of some type and was married (Helen K. Wittee) before he joined the army.

Harrison joined the Army Air Corps on February 10, 1943 as an aviation cadet. He because a first lieutenant and navigator/bombardier assigned to the 869th Bomb Squadron, 497th Bomb Group. This group flew B-29 Superfortresses operating out of Saipan. Lt. Wittee's squadron conducted bombing missions over Japan in 1945.

The American Maid on an earlier mission when a crewmate of Lt. Wittee
was sucked out but survived tied to a safety harness.
http://b-29.org/73BW/497BG/bartlett/bartlett1.html

This photo of the crew of the American Maid in Spetember 1944 likely includes Lt. Wittee.
http://b-29.org/73BW/497BG/bartlett/bartlett1.html

Lt. Wittee was the bombardier in the American Maid when it was shot down on a daylight fire mission over Osaka on June 1, 1945, Lt. Wittee became a prisoner of war at the Osaka Main Camp, Chikko, Osaka in Japan. A July 21, 1945 report listed him as dead. It appears he was executed by his Japanese guards for unknown reasons.

His remains were returned to be buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Thank you Harrison for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Harrison.


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