The Last Mission: Boomerang Is Back For Good


Oakland Tribune
Sunday, September 7, 1947

"Boomerang" was a B-29 that always came back. Today its symbol, an authentic Australian boomerang which was sent to war nearly three years ago, came back to Oakland.

The ancient weapon, which provided the name for the mighty bomber, was delivered to its owner, John Fraser of 3155 Coolidge Avenue, by Capt. Anthony Cosola, 24, of 5036 Bond Street, who was the navigator on the "Boomerang."

On it's surface is painted a complete record of the 13 missions on which it was flown in the B29, the names of the 10 men who flew it and the ground-crew chief.

SYMBOL PROVIDED
Fraser suggested the name and provided the wooden symbol for the plane in January, 1945, when Cosola, then fresh out of navigators' school, was on leave before joining the plane to go overseas. The name had snap and the significance for which the entire crew had been looking for their new plane.

The boomerang was genuine; it had been given to Fraser by an Australian aborigine in 1914, when he was serving as a lieutenant in the Australian Army; it was appropriate to the South Pacific, and it had meaning – a boomerang always comes back.

"We carried it on every mission." Cosola said. "Once we even pulled out of a line of planes about to take off to go back after it when it was forgotten."

"Boomerang" was assigned to the 315th Bomber W wing of the 20th Air Force on Guam. It was an experimental outfit. The planes made their strikes at night and had only tail guns for defense.

Its combat career was short – about three months – but full of action, and each of the crew members won the Distinguished " Flying Medal. the Air Medal and a presidential unit citation.

REFINERY TARGETS
Targets mostly were the cracking plants of Japanese refineries. First there was the Moen airstrip on Truk on June 16, 1945; then five strikes on oil refineries in Japan at Kudamatsu, Shimotzu, Yokkaichi and Amagasaki, the Ube Liquefaction plants twice and three other oil refineries in Japan.

Then, with the fighting over, the "Boomerang" dropped supplies to prisoners of war in Tokyo on August 30, 1945. and finally on September 2, 1945, it was in the great formations which flew over Tokyo Bay, during the surrender ceremonies.

Only once since the end of the war has Cosola been back home. That was for a week last May, and he took that time to get married to Naomi in Vieux of Centerville.

Seeking Regular Army status, he had to complete a 30-month tour of duty on Guam. The "Boomerang" was sent back to the United States and retired.

The boomerang will be Fraser's war trophy.

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