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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 823rd BS  823rd BS March 11, 1945 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. James N. Webb, O-784660 (MIA / KIA) King County, WA Co-Pilot F/O Stanislav I. Rossa, T-006640 (MIA / KIA) Cuyahoga County, OH Radio Cpl John S. Hackworth, Jr., 13179488 (MIA / KIA) VA Gunner Cpl Lee E. Ahcheko, 38406213 (MIA / KIA) Shawnee. OK Gunner Cpl Robert J. Ebright, 36860160 (MIA / KIA) Gladwin County, MI Photographer Pvt Wilfred E. Burnham, 37334910 (MIA / KIA) Riley County, KS Crashed March 11, 1945 at 10:30am MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) at Air Force Plant NC at Fairfax Field near Kansas City, Kansas. Constructors Number 108-32545. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25J-20/22-NC Mitchell serial number 44-29270. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) "Sun Setters", 823rd Bombardment Squadron (823rd BS) "The Terrible Tigers". No known nose art or nickname. On February 4, 1945 took off on its first bombing mission as one of eight from the 823rd BS to circle Grace Park north of Manila until ordered to strike enemy supplies at Wawa on the southwest of Luzon. Mission History On March 11, 1945 at 7:00am took off from Lingayen Airfield on Luzon piloted by 2nd Lt. James N. Webb armed with two 1,000 pound bombs as one of eight B-25s from the 823rd Bombardment Squadron (one did not take off due to mechanical issues) plus four B-25 from 405th Bombardment Squadron. Both squadrons were to proceed to a point on the coast of China midway between Amoy (Xiamen) and Swatow (Shantou) and split at 10:10am. The 405th BS planes were to search northward and the 823rd BS planes were to search to the southwest for a convoy consisting of "two transports, a Tare Able and a Tare Baker". Meanwhile, B-24 Liberators were orbiting over Swatow and Amoy to report any enemy shipping observed. At 10:25am the 823rd BS planes spotted a convoy consisting of "a Tare Baker escorted by a destroyer and destroyer escort" headed northeast in a line abreast formation just outside Nanao Bay near Swatow (Shantou). In fact, the Japanese convoy "Yumo 01" included Kaibokan CD-36, Mikura, CH-21 with Kaibokan CD-69 under tow. At 10:30am the B-25s attacked in two flights as the ships turned to port and opened fire with anti-aircraft fire. This B-2 was in the first flight and hit in the right engine causing it to catch fire and released both bombs that missed and overshot the "destroyer" [Kaibokan CD-36]. A series of photos from a bomber ahead photographed the last moments of this B-25 with the right engine on fire and trailing smoke. Seconds later, this bomber's right wing broke off, then rolled over and crashed into the water and disintegrated. When this B-25 failed to return, it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). The second flight attacked with one bomb claimed as a near miss that caused smoke and fires on deck of the "destroyer" [Kaibokan CD-36], while the other bomber flew wide and jettisoned both bombs. The third B-25 flew to the east to divert anti-aircraft fire from the others and never bombed. In fact, they damaged Kaibokan CD-36 at roughly Lat 23° 3' N, Long 116° 52' E. Memorials The entire crew (with the exception of Burnham) were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Burnham was officially declared dead on July 15, 1945. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Webb earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Rossa earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at section CC9A row 5 site 16. Hackworth earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Fort Hill Memorial Park in Lynchburg, VA. Ahcheko earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Ebright earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Ithaca Cemetery in Ithaca, MI. Burnham earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Saint Francis Cemetery in Saint Francis, KS. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25J-15/17-NC Mitchell 44-29270 "29270 condemned flak 15 Mar 1945." 38th BG, 823rd BS Narrative Report, Mission Nos. 74-C-2 (A) and 74-C-3 (A), 15 March 1945 (Shipping Search - South China Coast, Sector 5). 16 March 1945 Combined Fleet - IJN Escort CD-36: Tabular Record of Movement American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James N. Webb American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stanislav I. Rossa American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John S. Hackworth, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lee E. Ahcheko American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert J. Ebright American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wilfred E. Burnham date of death July 15, 1945 FindAGrave - 2Lt James N Webb (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - FltOff Stanislav I Rossa (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Stanislav I “Stanley” Rossa (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Corp John S Hackworth Jr. (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Corp John S Hackworth Jr. (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - CPL Lee Edwin Ahcheko (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Corp Robert J Ebright (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Robert J. Ebright (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Pvt Wilfred Eugene Burnham (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Wilfred Eugene Burnham (memorial marker) Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 456 (February 4, 1945) 483-484 (March 11, 1945), Appendix III AIII-34 (823rd BS, 44-29270), Appendix II AII-15 (March 15, 1945 44-29270) Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis 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-25  Photo Archive  MIA 6 Missing |
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