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Last update: 31 July 2023
Crew 09

Sergeant Wayne M. Bissell

Bombardier
34th Bomb Squadron
- First name:
Wayne
- Middle name:
Max
- Last name:
Bissell
- Nickname:
-
- Rank Doolittle raid:
Sergeant
- Last rank:
- Service number:
6579237
- Date of birth:
22 October 1921
- Place of birth:
Walker, Minnesota
- Date of death:
09 April 1997
- Place of death:
Vancouver, Washington
- Place of the cemetery:
Portland, Oregon - Willamette National Cemetery
- Name of the cemetery:

Additional info

Wayne Max Bissell was born in Walker, Minnesota on 22 October 1921. His father was Max Edward Bissell and his mother was Hilda L. Olson Bissell. Wayne had one older brother Lenard Marvin Bissell, born in 1918.

Bisell2222

Wayne M. Bissell, a Vancouver High School football star and graduate, he graduated during 1939, was a bombardier on aircraft 9 (Crew 9), which bombed the Tokyo Gas and Electric Company. during the Doolittle raid.

He married Boonie Ghormley Bissell during March 1948 in Vancouver, Washington. The couple had 5 children. Two daughters and 3 sons. The couple divorced during 1954.  Wayne Max Bissell  eremarried with Juanita Delores Quinn

bissell kneeling the first from left

Wayne M. Bissell as an aviation cadet, first row (kneeling) left.

This crew, Crew 09, bailed out over China and survived. 

Wayne Max Bissell was captured by a group of Chinese soldiers after bailing out. The soldiers looked like a band of robbers. They were deserters from the Chinese nationalist army. He did not quite understand that he was a prisoner of them. Until he was in their company for a few days. After several days they left Wayne alone with 1 guard. Wayne managed to escape and fled to the next village. There he met his fellow crew members. There he was in the hands of Chinese guerrillas. These helped him and the others escape to free China.
 
Sergeant Wayne Bissell came home on leave to Vancouver in July 1942. He attended many events and was honored as a hero during his time at home. The Vancouver Eagles Lodge had him as the principal speaker at its American War Heroes Day celebration. He had an East Coast assignment then went to flight school where he earned his commission on July 28, 1943. Lieutenant Bissell served in the Southwest Pacific until his discharge in July 1945.

Doolittle Raiders Logo sm 250x340

In 1959 the city of Tucson, Arizon, presented the Doolittle Raiders with a set of silver goblets, each bearing the name of one of the 80 men who flew on the Doolittle Tokyo Raid in April 1942. Unfortunately, the jeweler who engraved the goblets made a few mistakes. Nine goblets have misspelled names, incorrect first names or middle initials, or incomplete names. Other minor typographical inconsistencies also exist, but nothing can detract from the significance of these goblets or the men who earned them. Nine goblets have misspelled names, incorrect first names or middle initials, or incomplete names. Wayne M. Bissell was also misspelled : Wayne N. Bissell.

Wayne Max Bissell died on 9 January 1997 in a Vancouver, Washington, nursing home.

 

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Written and research by Geert Rottiers on .
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THE TOKYO SIXTEEN

The Heroes of Doolittle's raid on Japan in april 1942

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