USMC
VMTB-233

Pilot  1st Lt. Edward Albert Croker, O-014785 (POW / MIA) WI
Gunner  Cpl William Lloyd Casper, 383805 (MIA / KIA) UT
Radio  PFC Henry W. Schroeder, 447659 (MIA / KIA) IL
MIA September 16, 1943

Aircraft History
Built by Grumman.

Mission History
Took off from Fighter One on Guadalcanal. Last seen on the bomb run on Ballale Island, but was missing thereafter.

Ditched or bailed out in the vicinity. Croker was taken prisoner, the other crew did not make it out of the aircraft. Croker was transported to Rabaul and was imprisoned at the Navy's 81st Guards Unit prison. During January 1944, Gregory Boyington and he were cell mates.

According to the roster of the Kokai Maru, he was loaded aboard this ship, presumably to transfer him to Japan. If so, he died on February 21, 1944 when the ship was sunk.

Memorials
Casper and Schroeder were declared KIA on January 10, 1946. All crew members are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Relatives
Kurt Casper (nephew of Casper) adds:
"My uncle, USMC William Lloyd Casper, was the plane's gunner. My uncle and the radio man did not make it out of the plane. The pilot, Lt. E A Croker, was able to bailout but was captured by the Japanese and later died in a prison camp."

References
Thanks to Ewan Stevenson for Bureau Number.
Black Sheep One page 314 [Crocker sic]

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