bo e ▁and ▁five ▁crew men ▁were ▁reported ▁missing ▁in ▁action ▁during ▁a ▁day light ▁attack ▁on ▁Tor osh imo ▁Ret to , ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁first ▁combat ▁mission . ▁E ight ▁V P B - 1 3 1 ▁Vent uras ▁were ▁serving ▁as ▁f ighter ▁esc ort ▁for ▁the ▁Army ▁ 2 8 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Group ' s ▁B - 2 4 ▁Liber ators ▁when ▁attacked ▁by ▁ten ▁enemy ▁f igh ters . ▁Lieutenant ▁Ell ing bo e ' s ▁Vent ura ▁was ▁hit ▁and ▁crash ed ▁in ▁fl ames ▁into ▁the ▁sea . ▁November ▁– ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 : ▁In ▁mid - Nov ember ▁V P B - 4 3 , ▁a ▁water based ▁P BY ▁squad ron , ▁was ▁transferred ▁from ▁Att u ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁V P B - 1 3 1 ▁and ▁ 1 3 6 , ▁both ▁flying ▁land - based ▁aircraft . ▁During ▁a ▁pat rol ▁in ▁late ▁November ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁V P B - 1 3 1 ▁aircraft ▁sp otted ▁what ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁weather ▁bal lo on . ▁Upon ▁reporting ▁the ▁sight ing ▁to ▁base , ▁the ▁pilot ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁bal lo on . ▁When ▁fired ▁upon , ▁the ▁device ▁det on ated ▁with ▁an ▁enorm ous ▁explos ion . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁Japanese ▁bal lo on - b omb ▁intended ▁to ▁create ▁fires ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 :