Operation: Night bombing on Kahili Airfield and shipping off southern Bougainville

Date: 28th February 1943 (Saturday)

Unit No: Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron 143 (VMTB-143), Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), USMC

Type: TBF-1 Avenger

Serial: #06109 ‘Peggy’

Code: Unknown

Base: Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Soloman Islands

Location: Off southern Bougainville

Pilot: Capt. Alexander Rae Berry DFC, 7977 USMCR Age 25. PoW * /Murdered (1)

Bombardier/Radio Operator: Sgt. Donnelly Carlton Cameron 330904 USMCR Age 21. MiA (2)

Gunner: Pvt. Cephas Lee ‘Cy’ Kelly 421693 USMCR Age 17. PoW ** (3)

* Tunnel Hill PoW Camp, Rabaul, New Britain

** Tokyo PoW Camp (Shinjuku), Tokyo Bay Area

Above left to right: 1st Lt. Alexander R. Berry (Courtesy of his Aviation Cadets Application for Flight Training in the USMCR, Sgt. Donnelly C. Cameron (Courtesy of The Charlotte News, dated 8th December 1943)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 28th February 1943 TBF-1 Avenger #06109 took-off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal on a night bombing mission against Kahili Airfield and shipping off southern coast of Bougainville. When their aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

The following is an extract from the “History of Marine Corps aviation in World War II”:

‘On the first strike TBF's ever made against Bougainville, the night of 28 February, to bomb Kahili airfield and enemy shipping, Berry was shot down. Piloting “Peggy”, named for his wife, and with Sergeant Donnelly C. Cameron and Pfc. Cephas Kelly as his crew, Ray Berry dived so low on a ship that the concussion of his bombs "made the plane bounce like a tennis ball". A huge hole was torn in its belly and when Berry hit the water the plane flipped over on its back. Kelly got out without any trouble, the Lieutenant floated up, bleeding from his mouth and nose, but Cameron was never seen again. The pilot was almost unconscious and Kelly helped take off his chute and inflate his Mae West then “Peggy” slid out of sight. They waited ten minutes for Cameron to appear, then struck out for Bougainville. After daybreak they reached an islet a mile off the Bougainville coast and spent the day there. That night they swam the mile-wide channel to the big island.

They slept and hid all day and at night worked their way north. Although they had no food Berry collected rain water by an ingenious arrangement of broad leaves and hollow reeds which served as conduits. On the morning of the fifth day they came to a native village where they were generously fed, but in the midst of their feast a boy rushed in and warned that the Japanese were coming. The marines hid in the bush and fell asleep, only to be kicked awake by "a caricaturist's dream, short and fat with huge buck teeth and thick-lensed glasses". They were returned to the treacherous village; the chief received five kilos of rice for reporting them; and thence to a stockade where they spent 30 days, during which Berry was hanged by the heels while water was poured down his nose. The Japanese also beat him mercilessly and several times they laid his head on a chopping block to wrest information from him’. (Ref 1).

It was later established later that both Capt. Berry and Pvt. Kelly had been transported to Rabaul in April 1944 and initially held the 6th Field Kempietai Headquarters (HQ) compound.

(1) After the Japanese were defeated on New Britain it was found that there were only eight (8) surviving Allied PoWs at the Tunnel Hill PoW camp whereas it was expected to find a great many more. An investigation (Ref 2) was instigated by the 18th Australian War Graves Unit to determine the fate of the PoWs that were thought to have been held on New Britain.

After the 6th Field Kempeitai HQ was destroyed in a bombing raid on the 2nd March 1944 Capt. Berry was amongst the approximately fifty-three (53) PoWs who were transferred to another camp known as the Tunnel Hill Cave PoW Camp.

Surviving PoWs last saw him on the 3rd/4th March 1944 and he was in poor health after ten (10) months of questioning, floggings, filth, vermin, malaria, dysentery, tropical ulcers and starvation. It was claimed by the Japanese that Capt. Berry was amongst thirty-one (31) PoWs who were killed in an Allied air-raid on the 4th/5th March 1944. However, after interrogating Japanese officers and soldiers stationed at Rabaul during the war the investigation came to the conclusion that this claim was not credible and that the PoWs had been executed.

An overview of the investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and those deemed to be responsible for the executions and atrocities is summarised in the report entitled “Talili Bay Massacre, New Britain”.

Capt. Berry was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for this action:

The citation reads:

"For heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a torpedo bomber attached to a Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron in a night raid against the enemy Japanese-held Kabili Field, Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands, on February 28, 1943. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, First Lieutenant Berry set out on his mission, the first such operation. against that strongly fortified position. In the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, Japanese fighter opposition and blinding enemy searchlights, he boldly attacked the hostile objectives, thereby paving the way for further damaging operations against the enemy at this strategic position. His relentless determination, great courage, and gallant devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

(2) Sgt. Cameron was posthumously awarded the Navy’s Air Medal (AM) for this action:

The citation reads:

"For meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight as bombardier of a torpedo bomber attached to a marine scout-bombing squadron during a night raid against enemy Japanese-held Kahili Field, Bougainville island, Solomon islands, on February 28, 1943. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, Sgt. Cameron set out on his mission, the first such operation against that strongly fortified position. In the face of heavy antiaircraft fire, Japanese fighter opposition and blinding enemy searchlights, he carried out his duties with skill and determination throughout the engagement, thereby paving the way for further damaging operations against the enemy at this strategic position. His great courage and gallant devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of United States naval service."

(3) Pvt. Kelly was one of the nine (9) PoWs who were selected for transferred to Japan on the 13th November 1943. The others were:

Maj. Williston M. Cox O-426370 USAAF;
2nd Lt. Jack K. Wisener O-662327 USAAF;
2nd Lt. Robert R. Martindale O-725625 USAAF;
T/Sgt. Leslie H. Burnette 34179416 USAAF;
T/Sgt. Fred S. Engel 16036143 USAAF;
S/Sgt. Frank O. Wynne, Jr. 14016975 USAAF;
Cpl. Joel W. Griffin 18040364 USAAF;
Spr. Robert Anthony Cassidy NX151502 AIF.

After an extended voyage in an old steamer they arrived in the port of Moji in Japan on the 7th December 1943. Pvt. Kelly was initially held at the Omori Headquarters Camp #1 (Ofuna) Tokyo, Japan and then transferred to the Tokyo PoW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay, Japan. He was liberated on the 29th August 1945.

Pfc. Kelly later wrote of Capt. Berry:

“His precision bombing, magnificent flying ability and heroic conduct under the most difficult circumstances imaginable were truly in keeping, I'm sure, with the highest and finest tradition of the Marine Corps”.

Cephas Lee Kelly was born on the 25th August 1924 in Mt. Vernon in Illinois. Cephas passed away on the 23rd October 2001.

He wrote and published a book entitle “Eleven Pounds of Rice” which describes his Marine service from 1942 to 1946 and his time as a MiA/Japanese PoW. (Note: To date a copy of this publication has not been found).

Above: Obituary for Cephas ‘Cy’ Lee Kelly (Courtesy of The Tribune, dated 28th October 2001)

Burial details:

Above group burial marker including Capt. Alexander R. Berry (Courtesy of KcK - FindAGrave)

Capt. Alexander Rae Berry. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Ashes repatriated and laid to rest on the 21st March 1950 in a group burial at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri, Plot 78, Grave 930 to 934. Born on the 30th December 1917 in Elgin, Scotland. Son of Alexander and Euphemia Ann (née McCallum) Berry of Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Above: Sgt. Donnelly C. Cameron, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)

Sgt. Donnelly Carlton Cameron. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM). Manila American Cemetery, Wall of the Missing. Born on the 20th January 1922 in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio. Son of Donnely G. and Helen Louise E. (née Brossia) Cameron of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (May 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References:

1. History of Marine Corps aviation in World War II - pp 142-142;
2. Investigation File: NAA: 336/1/1345 Part 6.

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt