S/Sgt Arthur Claypool's World War II Service

S/Sgt. Arthur E. Claypool

S/Sgt. Arthur E Claypool was born in Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He was drafted into the US Army 23 December 1942. He went to Fort George G Meade Jan 1 to Jan 4, Miami Beach Jan 6 to Feb 6, Lincoln Air base Nebraska Feb 7 to July 2, Chanute Field Illinois July 3 to Aug 24, then to Boeing

Aircraft Factory Seattle, Washington Aug 27 to Nov 1, 1943. In February 1944 he was transferred to Clovis Army Airforce Base in New Mexico. There he began training on the B-17F bomber. He later trained on the B-29 bomber in June 1944. In August 1944 he was assigned to Army Airforce base in Herrington, Kansas and then transferred to Morrison Field for more training on the B-29 bomber. On September 1944 he was assigned to Left Machine Gunner on the B-29 bomber. October 1944 he was transferred to Twentieth Air Force, 58 Bomber Command, 40 Bomb Group, 45 Bomb Squadron APO 631 CBI Theater of War (China-Burma-India).

Combat Operations began in October 1944 from a B-29 Air Base in Hsinching, China. Combat Operations ran from September 1944 till March 1945. On November 21, 1944, during S.Sgt Claypool's third mission, he and nine other crew members bailed out when their aircraft suffered mechanical malfunctions due to battle damage. The crew's bombardier was killed in action. Notifying by radio to a nearby base, the crew was soon rescued. The Chinese, living in the area, were helpful in the rescue. On April 1945, the 45 Bomb Squadron was transferred to Tinian Island APO 247 in the Marianna Islands. Combat Operations continued until August 14, 1945. Tinian Island is historically important because the 2 Atomic Bombs were dropped on Japan from this Island. On 25 October 1945 S/Sgt Arthur E Claypool was separated from the US Army Airforce at Wright-Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio.

S/Sgt Arthur Claypool married his wife Doris Schwartz in Clovis, New Mexico 4 April, 1944. They met by reading an interesting letter an Army buddy was reading. Letters back and forth between Clovis, New Mexico and Detroit, Michigan resulted in their marriage. Following his service, S/Sgt. Claypool and wife Doris moved to Helena, Ohio where he raised a family of three sons. He worked at the National Carbon Company in Fremont, Ohio from which he retired in 1980. Biographical information and service record were provided by S/Sgt. Claypool’s eldest son Ron Claypool of Helena.

THE CREW OF THE SNAFUPER BOMBER

 1/Lt JAMES COWDEN; Leland Jones; Floyd Steiner; Ira B. Redmon; Leonard Koenig; E.L. Austin;

William Salmon; Ray Adamson; Michael Shebak; Edward Bronson; Glen Voris; Sgt Arthur Claypool  lCC-

#275 B-29 Bomber Bailed out after bombing OMURA, JAPAN

S/Sgt. Arthur Claypool, performing maintenance on Snafuper Bomber #275, the aircraft which suffered mechanical malfunction due to battle damage on November 21, 1944.

S/Sgt Arthur Claypool and wife Doris Schwartz Claypool

S.Sgt Claypool served as left machine gunner on this plane for 22 his bombing missions. 

 S/Sgt Arthur E Claypool SN 33416992 list of B-29 bombing raids against           Japan WW II; 40th Bombardment Group (VH), 45th Bombardment Squad

S/Sgt Arthur E. Claypool left the USA on Aug. 17, 1944 and arrived in India Sept. 23, 1944 for assignment to B-29 base (A-1) Hsingching, China. Listed with the bombing raids are the planes he flew in by number. The first B-29 was Snafuper Bomber # 275 which crashed in China after being damaged over Omura, Japan. The crew bailed out with one man killed in action. In April 1945 S/Sgt Claypool's Unit was transferred to TINIAN island.

                         (1944)

1. Mission-Formosa Oct 14 B-29 # 275 1100 hours

2. Mission-Formosa Oct 17 B-29 # 275 1040 hours

3. Mission-Omura Japan Nov 21 B-29 # 275 1625 hours (Plane crashed in China from battle damage)

4. Mission-Omura Japan Dec 19 B-29 # 739 1400 hours

5. Mission-Mudken Manchuria Dec 21 B-29 # 739 1200 hours

                         (1945)

6. Mission-Omura Japan Jan 6 B-29 # 739 1400 hours

7. Mission-Singapore Malaya Jan 11 B-29 # 407 1730 hours

8. Mission-Formosa Jan 14 B-29 # 739 1130 hours

9. Mission-Formosa Jan 17 B-29 # 739 1030 hours

10. Mission-Singapore Malaya Feb 24 B-29 # 739 1645 hours

11. Mission-Rangoon Burma March 22 B-29 # 739 1225 hours

12. Mission-Singapore Malaya (night raid) March 30 B-29 # 579 1850 hours

13. Mission-Kure Japan May 5 B-29 # 739 1625 hours

14. Mission-Tokoyama Japan May 10 B-29 # 739

15. Mission-Nagoya Japan May 14 B-29 # 085

16. Mission-Tokyo Japan (night raid) May 24 B-29 # 555

17. Mission-Kasumiguara Seaplane Station (Japan) June 10 B-29 # 739

18. Mission-Osaka Japan June 15 B-29 # 739

19. Mission-Toyahashi Japan (night raid) June 20 B-29 # 739

20. Mission-Kagamigahara Japan (Mitsubishi Aircraft Plant) June 26 B-29 # 739

21. Mission-Yokohama Japan (night raid) June 29 B-29 # 739

22. Mission-Kure Japan (night raid) July 2 B-29 # 739

23. Mission-Takamatsu Japan (night raid) July 4 B-29 # 739

24. Mission-Sendai Japan (night raid) July10 B-29 # 739

25. Mission-Osaka Japan July 24 B-29 # 739

26. Mission-Tsu Japan (night raid) July 29 B-29 # 739

27. Mission-Hachieji Japan (night raid) Aug 2 B-29 # 739

28. Mission-Tokoyawa Japan Aug 7 B-29 # 739

29. Mission-Hikari Naval Arsenal (Honshu Island) Japan Aug 14 B-29 # 739

Honorable Discharge Papers of S/Sgt Arthur Claypool

S'Sgt Claypool's squadron flew over the battleship Missouri on September 2, 1945 during the signing of the Japanese surrender 

S/Sgt. Claypool's last bombing mission on August 14, 1945 on the Hikari Naval Arsenal. This was the day the Japanese surrendered. 

Chinese puppy lying on a 500 pound bomb

S/Sgt. Claypool bailed out of this Snafuper bomber (#275) due to malfunction caused by battle damage. Captain Coden piloted this bomber. 

Crew members saying farewell to Captain Cowden as he was being re-assigned. (Cowden stands second from left.)

Aerial View of B-29 Air Base located in Hsinching, China

4Oth Bomb Group