The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1944-03-16
Participant in Tokyo
Raid Tells Experiences
Altman Tells Of
Damage Done on
Japanese Island
Wears DFC, Airman's
Medal, and Chinese
Award for Mission

S,se DoOlittle RAID over TOXIC Wds
onnted to a few local citizens
= Monday night by Major Knobloch
a. the Arrow Grill.
Major Kniblock accompanied
Ma;or Bernie Neuman, local flyer
who stopped off in Kennewick
~ visit short time with his
mother ~ Mrs. Gus Neuman of the
Garden Tracts and other relatives
here Major Neuman's party also
included Captain Messy, also Of
the air corps. stationed at Elgin
Field IN Florida. The officers were
On an army mission to Seattle and
flew in BIS, twin-engined army
light bomber.
There were only a couple Of
dozen people to listen to the Of
ficer's story of the flight on ac-
count Of the short notice of his
arrival. as he was expected to
arrive the following day. How
ever. the story of his thrilling
experiences proved interesting in
the extreme.
Il was agreed, the Major stated,
in telling about the famous raid,
that the two aircraft carriers, with
their navel escort, would steam
as close to Japan as possible be-
fore taking off, but that as soon
as the enemy was sighted the
takeoff would be undertaken. It
was hoped that the takeoff would
take place in the afternoon of the
eventful day so that the planes
would have gas enough left to
make one of several landing fields
in China.
However, a small fishing boat
vas sighted about eight in the
corning. The takeoff was i'm
] mediately ordered. The fishing
boat was blown out of the water
but it was feared that it might
have sent back a radioed warning,
so the Is light bombers headed
for Japan. It was the middle of
the afternoon before the mainland
was sighted, and the Majors
ship had the docks for target.
A big commercial ship was having
its top flattened in drydock for
conversion into an aircraft carrier.
The first bomb Tipped it over
on its side and soon smoke was
seen rolling from it. Other bombs
made shambles of the docks,
yards, ETC. Then their load of
lncendiaries were dumped along
the route.
Each of the Is bombers had
specific targets and all accomplish
ed their missions and then all
headed back to sea for SO miles to
fool the japs into believing there
was a big task force in the vi
entity. Then they were ordered
to head for the mainland in
China. running into a storm with
clouds and darkness before they
arrived.
About ten o'clock in the eve
nlng, after flying on instruments
1or several hours, the gas ran
out and orders were given to hop
out. The crew members had
no idea as to whether they were
over land or sea, or how high
.ne land might be that was be-
low them.
AS matter of fact the crew
'0i one OF the ships reported that
az an altitude of 5000 feet one
member of the crew swung his
parachute Just once before his
leet hit solid land. He was far
up on mountainside. F..
MAJOR Knobloch was more for
lunate. He landed in pitch black.
ness IN a rice paddy, filled with
colo mucky water. After picking
n,mSelt up uninjured in the pitchy
piackness, he gave signal with
f tis iiashhght. There were only
t tour other members in his crew,
put ne received seven answering
Signals. This didn't look so good.
81 ne waited and went on alone,
iiiisiiy coming to a river. :
A. AFTER falling a dozen times in
o c,.e mud, he finally saw a light
on the other side. Cautiously lac
spoke s and recognized a pal. They
r roulo no means of crossing until
irorning and then the two started
Un thelr Journey to the rendez
sous some two hundred miles
away they discovered.
li, De1alls of their trip afoot, on
h h.tie horses, in sedan chairs,
u ua launches and even a rail.
toao train, provided interestine
s aijos All the while they were
s saoea by friendly Chinese who
r nro to be able to sense the
pth, o of the japs and steered
small posts. 'io 'iie
o, cumming into a Chinese soldier
tSr IN the trip, the major was
threatened with the soldier,s
h siLle' The Chinese threatened
, VIII ana made a lunge at him, but
WI. mnen the airman grabbed the
ls - ne found the barrel was tieo
nn Win grass and the man had
iiiInlunltlon. In fact his whole