Allen Earl Titensor

Allen enlisted in 1940 as a flying instructor at Randolph Field, Texas and Hendricks Field, Florida. In 1942, Allen was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in Lubbock Army Flying School, Texas.2 Later, he was promoted to Major and placed in the 21st Bomber Squadron, 501st Bomber Group, taking charge a B-29 "Road Apple."

"...on May 8th, [the Road Apple] would be assigned to a different mission- a recon flight to assess the damage of their previous raids and to look for new targets in Osaka, which is known for its role in aircraft production. 

"However, this time, Road Apple would be flying alone, late in the evening with no other bombers accompanying them. The plane took off from Guam, heading to Japan. 

"Osaka finally came into view, and the camera began rolling. ...As they crossed over land, anti-aircraft fire started to get heavier. [Captain Luther] White peered down at his bomb site, ensuring that they got the photographs they needed over the city. 

"Just past midnight on May 9th, anti-aircraft gunners concentrated on Road Apple. Flying at low altitudes to get the best photos, [...the] crew were vulnerable. The Japanese took advantage of this. Then, the aircraft took a direct hit, causing the pilot to lose control of the bomber. It all happened too fast. ...

"The Road Apple dove straight into Osaka. Higashi Osaka, a 17-year-old boy who watched Road Apple crash that night, recalled, 'The B-29 engine fell into a neighboring house- his wife and baby died. One of the US soldiers whose parachute did not open, broke to the roof and fell where he was found dead on the workbench. The aircraft crashed into a nearby rice field and screw factory. The bodies of US soldiers found in the wreckage were collected in a field near the site[, and left unattended for several days, and exposed to the public. Many spectators came in ... and trampled the bodies.']

"There was a single crew member who was able to bail out,... radio operator Capt. Richard H. Hamilton. He would be captured by the Japanese and executed a few weeks later."3

The report first came to the families of the Road Apple as a Missing In Action report. After about a month of investigation, it was found that the plane had crashed. The remains of the men on the plane were gathered and buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

Awards

Air Medal • Purple Heart • United States Aviator Badge Army • World War II Victory Medal • American Campaign Medal • Army Good Conduct Medal • Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

1. (June 25, 1945). Former Cove Man Missing Over Japan. The Herald Journal. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library, Utah Digital Newspapers. https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=28638972

2. (April 14, 1942). Former Jaysee Athlete Made First Lieutenant. The Santa Ana Register. Uploaded to FamilySearch.org by AllenBenjaminMcAllister, June 22, 2019. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/87586405?cid=mem_copy

3. Rej. (2024, March). A B-29 story you wouldn't believe! World War Wings. https://worldwarwings.com/a-b-29-story-you-wouldnt-believe/