Don L. Stockett

Marvin M. Stockett was the Aircraft Commander of Stockett's Rocket, Boeing B-29 aircraft #42-6261. Marvin was a very good pilot, and was among the first to be chosen to fly the B-29 into combat. After training in Texas and at Pratt Army Airfield in Kansas, his group was ordered to fly to bases near Calcutta, India, and one of those was at Chakulia. The object was to bomb mainland Japan, so forward bases in China were required, including at Hsingching, known as Base A-1. On the evening of June 14, 1944, Marvin and 10 other crewmen and one passenger took off fully loaded to a stop at A-1, on their way to bomb Yawata Japan for the first raid after the Doolittle Raid of B-25 Mitchells which flew off the Hornet aircraft carrier in April 1942. Last heard from at 2:30 am as they checked into Jorhat, India ATC, they never arrived at A-1. The most likely explanation is that an engine caught fire, and within 90 seconds the engine fire fully enveloped the wing, causing the aircraft to fall into the mountains. The Wright 3350 engines on the early B-29 aircraft were notorious for overheating and catching on fire. William "Bill" Priepott, who was the chief mechanic on Marvin's plane at Chakulia, said that Marvin and the entire crew came to him and said Goodbye, that they would not be returning from the mission. No one had ever done that before. Stockett's Rocket was the 6th B-29 aircraft lost in World War II. The remains have never been discovered.

Marvin M Stockett