Crew History
Co-Pilot Herbert V. Young, Jr. was born June 6, 1920 played football at Clarkdale High School and later at Arizona State University. Had one daughter, Diana, now Diana Long of El Cerrito, CA who he never saw, since she was born after he shipped out. Assigned to the SWPA in August 15 1943, he was normally a pilot but he was assigned to fly as co-pilot with another crew on the "Hot Garters" because his plane was not flyable and they were short a pilot. He had flown 43 combat missions for approximately 300 hours prior to his loss, and earned an Air Medal posthumously.

Mission History
Departed Nadzab Airfield on a bombing mission to Hansa Bay. Hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target, and crashed five miles west of Nubia. Five of the crew were seen to parachute out, and land within a radius of 300 yards from the wreckage.

Wreckage
Located in a bamboo forest near the village of Sepen Number 2 (pronounced 'seven') behind Nubia. According to Brian Bennett, CILHI visited the site in November 2002, locating only the tail, but noting it as an MIA site for further investigation.

John Douglas adds;
"There was a Patrol Report dated September 1944. Four survivors; the Japanese killed one, who was buried at Akokom."

Justin Taylan reports:
"Locals report that the survivors of the crash and pilot were seriously wounded.  They offered to hide them from the Japanese, but the crew wanted to surrender to the Japanese, due to their wounds.  They declined help and began walking away, then were never seen again."

Memorials
The entire crew was declared dead the day of the mission. The missing and are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. The following crew members were recovered and are buried at the same cemetery: Greenman at Plot C Row 11 Grave 70.

Relatives
Ken Young (nephew of Herbert V. Young)
"My uncle, 1st Lt. Herbert V. Young, Jr. was the co-pilot of the plane. I never knew that any wreckage of the plane had been found until I came across the Pacific Wreck Database. In my uncle's last letter, he said that "He only needed 30 more flight hours before rotating back to Frisco." He was trained in fighters and then put into bombers because of a shortage of bomber pilots. He said the B-24 was like flying a boxcar. He flew an A20 on a ferry flight and really liked it. In his last letter he said his plane had one bad engine (didn't pass magneto checks) and he didn't like the idea of taking off with a full bomb load (he had friends who had died in accidents from engine problems). This led to him flying as co-pilot with the other crew, even though he had much more experience than the newer pilot he flew with. I think at the time of the crash he had completed his remaining 30 hours, but his duty was extended. I still have a copy of the telegram that my grandfather sent to my Dad informing him that Uncle Bud was missing in action. My Dad, Herbert's brother, died in 2003 at the age of 91. Herbert's sister, Geraldine, is still living in Cottonwood, Arizona. She is 93."

Jim Byrkit adds:
"Lt. Herbert V. Young. He was born in Jerome and raised in nearby Clarkdale, in central Arizona. Herb Young, Jr., was known here as "Buddy" Young. He graduated from high school in 1937. Buddy's older sister, Geraldine ("Gerry") (Young) Duval, is now about 90 years old and lives in a retirement center here. She doesn't have any clear and detailed knowledge about her brother's death. Shortly before leaving for duty overseas, Buddy married a local woman, her name was Barbara McLain. She was very tall and striking in her appearance. She married again and died about three years ago. The Youngs never did learn about the specifics of Buddy's death."

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

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