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The 504th began combat operations while based on Tinian Island in January 1945. It practiced by bombing targets on Iwo Jima and the Truk Islands, then began operations against the Japanese homeland in February. Initial bombing missions were flown during the day at high altitude, concentrating on chemical plants, aircraft factories, harbors and arsenals.

Gen. Curtis LeMay studied the results and instructed the 504th to begin low-level incendiary raids at night. The raids targeted Tokyo and some of Japan's other major cities, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe. In May 1945, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking the industrial center at Yokohama.

"We put more bombs on target with just two squadrons in the 504th than the other three squadron groups did," said Schoolcraft.

That same year, the 504th began using its B-29s to drop mines in the Korean shipping lanes, called the Shimonoseki Strait, and in harbors of the Inland Sea.

During the war, the group also hit airfields used by kamikaze planes trying to disrupt the assault on Okinawa. After the war, the 504th dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners.

"I was one of those Allied prisoners," said Hanley, "when my B-29 was shot down March 27, 1945, on my first mining mission. 427 B-29s went down during that time - over 5,000 B-29 crew members - yet less than 200 survived."

That is because the aircrew members were treated worse than normal POWs, he said. "We had special rules like no medical attention, half rations, handcuffs, blindfolds, continual beatings and no communications with the other prisoners."

On Aug. 6, 1945, the Enola Gay, a B-29 stationed at Tinian Island, dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

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I see. So I take it that OD's were the working uniform equivalent of fatigues now? I think the military under dresses now. I mean, doesn't every soldier have a decent military uniform to wear in public? I mean, really, in an airport, all one sees is fatigues, the equivalent of sweat suits. LOL