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Heavy Bomber Shot Down by Soviet MiG-15s Over Wonson Harbor (44-61932)

Wonsan, North KoreaFlight

On October 24, 1951, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress (registration 44-61932) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Wonsan, North Korea in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Shot down by Soviet MiG-15. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A heavy bomber was shot down by Soviet MiG-15 pilots. All 11 crew bailed out, but two were killed and nine rescued. The aircraft crashed into Wonson harbor.

Incident

A heavy bomber was attacked and shot down by the pilots of several Soviet MiG-15 aircraft. The engagement resulted in the bomber crashing into Wonson harbor. All 11 crew members were able to bail out of the aircraft before it impacted the water. Of the 11 crew, two were killed and nine were rescued.

Crew

The crew members who bailed out were:

  • Sgt Bobby D. Abplanalp
  • Cpl Lynn W. Dorsey
  • M/Sgt Wilbur N. Foster
  • 1st Lt Luke C. Fyffe
  • 1st Lt William J. Haberle (killed)
  • 1st Lt James W. Harig (killed)
  • Sgt James A. Johnson
  • Cpt Melvin C. Manley
  • Cpl Harvey Simon
  • Cpl Raymond L. Singleton
  • 1st Lt Alfred Ziegler

Two crew members, 1st Lt William J. Haberle and 1st Lt James W. Harig, were killed during the incident. The remaining nine were rescued.

Probable Cause

The official probable cause of the accident was that the bomber was shot down by Soviet MiG-15 aircraft.

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