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A Man who Flew with Owen J. Baggett


dramos
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I am sure most of you have heard the story of Owen J. Baggett, the man who shot down a Japanese pilot and plane with his 1911 .45 cal pistol.

 

On March 31, 1943, the B24 co-piloted by Owen J. Baggett, took off from Gaya Airfield in India on a mission to bomb the Pyinmana Railroad yards in Mandalay in Burma. The formation was intercepted by enemy fighters and a fire fight left the B24 badly damaged. Baggett informed his crew to prepare to bail out. As he descended in his parachute, Japanese fighters began strafing the crew, killing a few and wounding Baggett. Baggett watched as the plane that injured him turned back around, either to finish the job or get a better look at his victim. Baggett, while playing dead, drew his .45. The Japanese pilot flew close by, opened his canopy, at which point Baggett fired four rounds, hitting the pilot and sending the plane downwards. The pilot was supposedly found thrown from the crash site with a single bullet wound to the head.

 

Now, whether or not this actually happened can be argued, but damn its a cool story nonetheless.

 

I purchased the attached Purple Heart a few months ago. When I started doing more research I found that he was the Radio operator that Baggett was flying! S*t*e*p*h*e*n F. B*u*r*k*e was one of the crew to bail out. A few of the crew that got out of the B24 prior to it exploding made it to the ground and were taken as POWs. It is unclear whether SB was killed in the air, after landing or in a POW camp.

 

His purple heart appears to be the pantograph style. I am assuming that the engraving is done in this late war style because his death was not confirmed till the end of the war.

 

-Doug

 

 

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