US Star Pacific Wrecks Your donation today supports the next 15 years

All Donations are100% tax deductible

$
Main Menu
Search
Forum
Reviews
People
Help
  TBF-1 Avenger Bureau Number 06452  
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 aboard the Kokai Maru and transported to Rabaul (this ship was later sunk on February 21, 1944. Imprisoned at the Navy's 81st Guards Unit. During January 1944, Gregory Boyington and he were cell mates.

Memorials
Casper and Schroeder were declared KIA on January 10, 1946. All the 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]

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 1, 2009

 

Tech Info
Avenger

MIA
MIA

Pacific Wreck Database
Pacific Wrecks Incorporated is a non-profit charity 501(c)(3)  Donate Now
© 1995-2009
All rights reserved

Bookmark and Share