Mark Johnson wrote that his father, SSgt Donald C. Johnson of Forest City/Northwood, Iowa, was stationed at Kadena approximately three years.  SSgt. Johnson recalled riding out a typhoon by "flying" the planes on the ground, and watching a B-29 that couldn't get its landing gear down.  After circling and burning most of the fuel, all of the crew, except the pilot, bailed out.  Alone in the aircraft, the pilot aimed the plane over the water, set the autopilot, and bailed-out.  Jet fighters had to be sent to shoot the bird down.
    Another time,  SSgt. Johnson was close enough to feel the heat of a bomber that crashed on takeoff, went off the end of runway into a ravine, and "blew all to hell with no survivors."

  << Johnson is on left with unidentified friend.