The story of Owen J. Baggett, the B-24 Copilot who shot down a Japanese Zero with his Colt .45 while hanging from his open parachute after he bailed out from his stricken Liberator

theaviationgeekclub.com ^ | Jan 22 2022 | Dario Leone

[ransomnote]

SNIP

On Mar. 31, 1943, the Pandaveswar based (northwest of Calcutta) 7th Bomb Group (BG)’s 9th Bomb Squadron was dispatched to destroy a railroad bridge at Pyinmana, about halfway between Rangoon and Mandalay and near two active enemy fighter bases. The formation was led by Col. Conrad F. Necrason, 7th BG commander. The B-24 on his right wing was piloted by 1st Lt. Lloyd Jensen whose copilot was 2d Lt. Owen J. Baggett. On that mission, Baggett was to earn a distinction believed to be unique in Air Force history.

Before reaching the target, the B-24s were attacked by Zero fighters.

Baggett’s plane was hit in the fuel tanks and caught fire, forcing the crew to bail out. As they descended with parachutes, the Zeroes continued to attack, killing two of the crew and wounding Baggett in the left arm.

Feigning death, Baggett watched as a curious Zero pilot approached him, performing an astonishing bit of aerobatics to get a closer look at the wounded American. At just the right moment, Baggett drew his service pistol, a Colt .45, and fired four shots, hitting the Japanese pilot in the head and causing the Zero to crash.

Baggett was captured and taken to a POW camp, where he was surprisingly received and feted as a hero by the Japanese camp commander, a colonel, for his fine shooting at the Zero. This is an example of the Japanese military’s peculiar Bushido code, which placed great emphasis on honor and valor in battle.

[Chickensoup]

Sometimes i think that the wwii guys are equivalent to the special forces today.

[Hot Tabasco]

Delete it!

Oh shut up and go eat a hot dog....Sheesh!

[Hot Tabasco]

This story detracts from those who gave all and who are being honored today.

We can and are doing both.......Stop pissing on the parade.

[ansel12]

There is no need to get carried away.

Courage is spread throughout the military but super training isn’t.

During WWII we had our Special Operations men in elite units also.

[NorthMountain]

That jap pilot got shot BECAUSE he was killing men in parachutes ... then he got too close to one.

[manna]

Thanks.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Thanks for posting this Ransom I HAD not heard this story of American hero!
LEX

[Zhang Fei]

[Not so much that they wouldn’t shoot defenseless aircrews hanging from parachutes, apparently.]

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In their honor code, the lives of non-combatants have the same value as livestock. Someone who quits before he’s dead is worse than a non-combatant - he’s a coward. Hence the casual brutality towards POWs. They were worse than civilians - they were outcasts.

It’s analogous to the Viking ethos. The Vikings enslaved those of their enemy they did not kill - combatants and civilians alike. A Viking who died in battle, sword or axe in hand, was destined for the halls of Valhalla. All others went to Hel. Some war captives were sacrificed to the Viking gods after undergoing hideous tortures.

[Zhang Fei]

[Courage is spread throughout the military but super training isn’t.

During WWII we had our Special Operations men in elite units also.]

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Training isn’t hard to make universal. What makes elite units elite isn’t training - it’s selection. The best are selected out - the smartest and most physically and mentally tough of the crazy brave, That’s why most commanders of non-elite units aren’t thrilled about losing their men to SOF. It hollows their own units out.

[ansel12]

I agree and know that was one reason the Rangers used to get disbanded after wars.

I think the person I was posting to though was getting swept away with the courage aspect.

The training is also what helps control the selection, many apply, not everyone clears the training, elite training is expensive, time consuming, requires intelligence, toughness to endure suffering that makes the weak cry for comfort, high personal discipline, and high physical standards and can’t be made universal, a quick example is how few blacks used to get through elite training although there is plenty of athleticism among black GIs.