Whitaker Bernard E.

Monuments

The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan

Name:

Bernard E. Whitaker

Rank:

Sergeant

Serial Number:

35720532

Unit:

869th Bomber Squadron, 497th Bomber Group, Very Heavy

Date of Death:

1945-01-23

State:

Indiana

Cemetery:

Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu

Plot:

Courts of the Missing, Court 5

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Air Medal, Purple Heart

Comments:

Bernard E. Whitaker was born on March 19, 1922. He was the son of Ralph D. Whitaker and Edna A. Whitaker. Sergeant Whitaker was lost aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-29-40-BW Superfortress #42-24594, nicknamed "Bad Brew" when it crashed on takeoff [location not specified] for mission to Nagoya, Japan. Six crew were killed and five survived. He was declared missing on January 23, 1945 and is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA. He also has a cenotaph located in Roselawn Memorial Park, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana.

Sgt Whitaker was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov