Lawrence “Dood” Seery, Jr. was born on April 16, 1920. He volunteered to join the military on December 4, 1941, at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. He wanted to become a pilot, but an old football injury prevented him from passing the medical entrance for pilot training. He reached the rank of Technical Sergeant. (He had been notified that he would be promoted to Lt. 2nd Class, but died before the promotion became official.) “Dood” was assigned to the 459th Bombardment Squadron, 330th Bombardment Group stationed in Guam in 1945. He was the engineer on a B-29 Super Fortress Aircraft with a crew of eleven. The Super Fortress had been designed for the long flights to bomb Japan from Guam and other air fields in the Pacific theater.

On April 24, 1945, eight days after “Dood” had celebrated his 25th birthday, it was reported that his crew and B-29 aircraft #63 had returned from a bombing run, and they were ordered to refuel and join an 11 aircraft group assigned to bomb a large aircraft factory north of Tachikawa, Japan. The factory was heavily defended by both fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft batteries. The approach and bomb run was normal with #63 in the tail end position of the formation.

While in the target area, the bombing group encountered intense fighter attacks and flack burst. When the bombers were out of the most intense fighting, they were accounting for each B-29 in the formation and the rear gunners of the other aircraft in the group stated that aircraft #63 was no longer in formation, but was thought to be some distance behind and apparently crippled by flack, plus sustained numerous fighter attacks which possibly wounded some members of the crew. Still determined to make effective use of the bombs which they had been unable to drop on the primary target, the crew of aircraft #63, with one engine inoperative and another losing power, made a bomb run and dropped their bombs on a secondary target near the coast of Japan. While on the run or just after releasing the bombs, three objects were observed leaving the ship. Two of the objects were crew members as their parachutes opened and the third may have been a crew member, but his chute didn’t open while in sight of the “buddy” ship assigned to assist #63. Radio contact later confirmed that the navigator, radar operator, and radio operator had parachuted from the craft. The aircraft struggled while losing power, speed, and altitude until it was ditched in the sea some 80 miles from Japan in fairly rough seas and the B-29 broke into two pieces, sinking quickly.

The crew of the “buddy” ship observed what they believed to be six crew members leave the craft and take to life rafts. The position was carefully plotted and air-sea rescue groups were informed. Due to the distance and other planes being in similar trouble the “buddy” ship couldn’t stay until the rescue was completed. Later in the day an attempt was made to search the area several times in adverse weather, but no rescue was accomplished. The crew of aircraft #63 was not recovered and this had been one of the squadrons best air crews.

Approximately three months later, Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.