Presently little data is available about this crew's missions, however Donald G. Smith, Jr. son of Donald G. Smith, Navigator of Replacement Crew 16, found and made contact with our web site, and shared the following after our inquiry into the crew's missions Don Sr. was recalled that in between bombing runs they did naval search and rescue spotting operations where they dropped rafts to planes. he said that in one instance some Japanese planes in Tokyo bay were hiding in the clouds sort of circling around some wreckage and attacked their plane, so they flew for "an hour" at 100 ft above sea level to keep the planes from attempting to dive bomb them. He knows that on at least two occasions submarines picked the people up that they spotted.
Standing (Left to Right)
F/O Donald G. Smith, Navigator
2nd Lt Theodore P. Pearse, Radar
Capt John T. Horne, Airplane Commander
2nd Lt Francis W. Strahorn, Pilot
2nd Lt James H. Burrows, Jr., Bombardier
Kneeling (Left to Right)
T/Sgt Robert K. Emmons, CFC Gunner
S/Sgt John J. Griffin, Right Gunner
S/Sgt Sebastian M. Palomo, Radio Operator
S/Sgt George M. Thomas, Jr., Left Gunner
Sgt Samuel R. Rager, Tail Gunner
M/Sgt Raymond L. Donahue, Flight Engineer
