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| USAAF 7th AF 30th BG 27th BS  USAAF c1943  USAAF Dec 15, 1943 |
Command Pilot Lt. Col. Arthur J. Walker, O-22462 Deputy 30th BG (POW, survived) Pilot 1st Lt. Fred F. Garrett, O-740163 (POW, survived) Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. James J. Palladino, O-747476 (POW, MIA / KIA) CA Navigation 2nd Lt. Charles W. Holland, O-807218 (POW, MIA / KIA) CA Bombardier 2nd Lt. Donald E. Wright, O-684660 (POW, MIA / KIA) Wichita, KS Engineer TSgt John D. Travers, 33373905 (MIA / KIA) Baltimore, MD Radio TSgt Virgil F. Abbott, 39838966 (POW, MIA / KIA) Eagle Point, OR Asst. Engineer SSgt John R. Ormesher, 13131466 (MIA / KIA) PA Asst. Radio SSgt Lester G. Schwam, 12185887 27th BS (MIA / KIA) NY Tail Gunner SSgt George S. Lunsford, 37226920 (POW, MIA / KIA) Passenger Major Thomas F. Harper, Jr., O-366491 30th BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) MS Ditched December 15, 1943 MACR 1415 / 3688 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 2534. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-1-CO Liberator serial number 42-72969. Ferried to Hickam Field then to the Central Pacific. Wartime History Assigned to the 7th Air Force, 30th Bombardment Group, 27th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Our Baby" with the nose art of a blonde woman. Below the cockpit window were bomb markings indicating missions flown. During the middle of November 1943 based at Nanumea Airfield. Mission History On December 15, 1943 took off from Nanumea Airfield piloted by Lt. Col. Arthur J. Walker as one of twenty B-24s on a bombing mission against Taroa. Weather unlimited unlimited with .3 coverage cumulus clouds. Over the target, while in a slight dive from 8,100', this B-24 was hit by anti-aircraft fire hitting the no. 1 engine and creating holes in the wing. The no. 1 caught fire and burned until reaching 1,000'. The other three B-24s in the formation boxed in this damaged bomber and attempted to escorted it, while being attacked by enemy aircraft. Damaged, this B-24 hit the water in a complete stall and impacted between two swells. The tail briefly surfaced above the surface, indicating it broke off in the crash. The left wing also broke off when it hit the water. The other three B-24s were still under fighter attack and were unable to see if there were any survivors. The entire B-24 sunk within 40 seconds or less after the impact. Fates of the Crew Walker, Garrett, Palladino, Wright, Holland, Abbott and Lunsford survived the crash. The rest of the crew are presumed to have gone down with the bomber when it sank. The seven survivors were rescued by the Japanese and became Prisoners Of War (POWs). All seven were transported to Kwajalein and detained and interrogated. The fates of Palladino, Wright, Holland, Abbott and Lunsford are unknown, likely executed or died in captivity. All five remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). The Japanese interrogated Walker and referred to him as "Lt. Col F.". The other five crew members of the crew were referred to as H, I, J, K, L. Later, Walker and Garrett were later transported to Japan and detained at POW camps. In October 1945 Walker from Tokyo POW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay Area 35-140. Garrett was liberated from Osaka Main Camp Chikko Osaka 34-135. At the end of January 1944 when the U.S. liberated Kwajalein, a captured Japanese document found revealed that seven of the crew were taken prisoner by the Japanese including Walker, Garrett, Palladino, Wright, Holland, Abbott and Lunsford. Although these men were indeed POWs, their official status was not changed to POW in official records for unknown reasons, and instead remained listed as MIA. Memorials Travers and Ormesher were officially declared dead December 16, 1943. Schwam and Harper were officially declared dead on December 17, 1943. Palladino, Holland, Wright, Abbott and Lunsford were officially declared dead on November 10, 1945. All are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at the courts of the missing. Palladino, Holland, Harper and Abbott, Ormesher, Schwam, Lunsford and Harper on court 7. Wright and Travers on court 5. Ormesher also has a memorial marker at Greenwood Memorial Park in Lower Burrell, PA. Lunsford also has a memorial marker at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery at section MA, site 14. Harper also has a memorial marker at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Macon, MS. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J Liberator 42-72969 "72969 (30th BG, 27th BS, "Our Baby") shot down by AAA 20 mi NE of Taroa, Gilbert Islands Dec 15, 1943. MACR 1415 and 3688. 9 KIA, 2 POW." Missing Air Crew Report 1415 (MACR 1415) Missing Air Crew Report 3688 (MACR 3688) NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Arthur J. Walker NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Fred F. Garrett American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - James J. Palladino American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Charles W. Holland American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Donald E. Wright American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - John D. Travers American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Virgil F. Abbott American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - John R. Ormesher American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Lester G. Schwam American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - George S. Lunsford American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Thomas F. Harper Jr. FindAGrave - 2Lt James J Palladino (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Charles W Holland (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Donald E Wright (photo, obituary, court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John D Travers (court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Virgil Franklin Abbott (court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt John R Ormesher (photo, court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - John R Ormesher (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Lester G Schwam (court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt George S Lunsford (court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - George S "Sammy" Lunsford (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Maj Thomas F Harper, Jr (court of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Maj Thomas F Harper, Jr (memorial marker) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 B-24  Photo Archive  Map Jan 21, 1944  MIA 9 Prisoners 9 Missing |
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