Owen John Baggett Killed Japanese Pilot in Mid Air-Reported as Truth!

truthorfiction.com ^ | March 15, 2016 | Rich Buhler & Staff

[ransomnote]

 

Owen John Baggett Killed Japanese Pilot in Mid Air-Reported as Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
Owen John Baggett, a pilot who flew B-24s in World War II, shot and killed a Japanese pilot with a revolver while he parachuting to the ground from his destroyed airplane.
The Truth:
By all accounts, it’s true that Owen John Baggett killed a Japanese pilot while parachuting to the ground during World War II.
There are accounts of Owen John Baggett’s legendary feat circulating in blog posts, emails and discussion forums. Many of these can be traced back to a profile on Baggett that appeared in Air Force Magazine.
The legend goes that 2nd Lt. Owen J. Baggett was dispatched along with the 7th Bomb Group’s 9th Squadron to destroy a bridge near a Japanese base halfway between Rangoon and Mandalay in Burma on March 31, 1943. Baggett was the copilot of a B-24 bomber, and 1st Col. Lloyd Jansen was the pilot.
When the plane was severely damaged by enemy fighters, Jansen gave the order for the crew to bail out, which Baggett conveyed through hand signals because the intercom had been destroyed. Baggett parachuted from the plane, and, Air Force Magazine reports:

The Japanese pilots immediately began strafing the surviving crewmen, apparently killing some of them and grazing Lieutenant Baggett’s arm. The pilot who had hit Baggett circled to finish him off or perhaps only to get a better look at his victim. Baggett pretended to be dead, hoping the Zero pilot would not fire again. MORE AT LINK:

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[ransomnote's note: The photo is from a separate source]

[ransomnote]

Note: He lived to be 86 years of age and "died at peace and with dignity" in Texas in 2006.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

“and 1st Col. Lloyd Jansen was the pilot”

Have to assume that should be LT Col. Error is with the source.

[bt-99]

1911 = revolver?

[bagster]

Why you never, EVER give up.

[MrEdd]

M1911 Colt 45 caliber automatic pistol.
Which we still carried when I first joined the Marine Corps.

[MrEdd]

Semi-automatic.

[Chainmail]

"Semi-automatic."

Unless you try to reduce the slack in your trigger by brazing a shim to the back of the trigger bar as I once did and find out that the pistol empties itself in one pull.

The pistol made a loud "Brack" sound and the magazine was empty! Tried it again, thinking I hadn't actually loaded more than one round and once again the magazine was empty and I had a line of holes in the target.

Quite embarrassing at a Marine Corps range and I scuttled home to replace the trigger bar.

[USMC79to83]

Far more likely it should read “1st Lt”

Lt Col’s were in command of units

Super cool story, thanks Ransomnote.

[Fresh Wind]

Good shooting, sir!

Instant karma for the Jap.

[OKSooner]

Hey that’s racist. /s

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Not sure about “far more likely”.

From the article: “A few months later, Col. Harry Melton, commander of the 311th Fighter Group who had been shot down”

If a COL could be shot down, an LTC could easily have been the pilot.

However, I think we agree that “1st Col” is wrong, and more likely would be either “1st LT” or “Lt Col”.

[USMC79to83]

I see your point, Sir. Thanks!

[schurmann]

“...If a COL could be shot down, an LTC could easily have been the pilot...” [where’s_the_Outrage?, post 11]

There were differences between fight units and bomber units.

In bombardment groups, the crew commander was typically the most senior pilot assigned, owning the most experiences, and was often a 1Lt or Capt. Commanders of squadrons and groups would be Majors, LtCols, or full Colonels. They did not necessarily fly on every combat sortie; if they did go, the tagged along with the lead crew, or with whichever crew they wished to. Bombers had the extra room.

Most USAAF and USN fighter units of the time flew single-seat aircraft. Squadron and group commanders did fly on combat sorties but had to fly in their own separate aircraft.

Senior leaders had many different duties beyond leading aviators into combat. Some senior officers were ordered not to fly combat sorties over enemy territory because of the high-level security clearances they held, and the extra-sensitive nature of intel data and other information they were granted access to. Curtis LeMay was known to hop onto this or that B-29 to fly sorties over Japan’s home islands, but when he was granted access to the Manhattan Project, he was required to give up the practice.

[TomServo]

Bfl..great story

[xrmusn]

Although not in the same category, not all 'war stories' are bad....

Recall the incident in WWI where both sides called an impromptu 'cease fire' to celebrate Christmas TOGETHER

Or the German Pilot 'escorting' an American crippled bomber across the English Channel.

The Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident occurred on 20 December 1943, when, after a successful bomb run on Bremen, 2nd Lt Charles "Charlie" Brown's B-17 Flying Fortress (named "Ye Olde Pub") was severely damaged by German fighters. Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler had the opportunity to shoot down the crippled bomber, but did not. After an extensive search by Brown, the two pilots met each other 40 years later and developed a friendship that lasted until Stigler's death in March 2008.[1]

Or the JOKE of the German and American in the hospital..seems like they came upon each other and the American said Hitler is a 'Plick' and the German said 'Roosevelt is an arse'.

"Oh, a fight ensued?"

"NO, they were standing in the middle of the road shaking hands and a truck ran over them"