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Operation: Fighter Protection, Burma (Myanmar)
Date: 27th November 1943 (Saturday)
Unit No: 530th Fighter Squadron, 311 Fighter Group, 10th Air Force
Type: P-51A
Serial No: 43-6284
Code: Unknown
Base: Kurmitola, India
Location: 25 miles west of Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar)
Pilot: 2nd Lt. Everitt Edward Briggs Jr. O-668189 AAF Age 23. PoW */DED**/MiA
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)
** DED = Declared dead
Above 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr. (Courtesy of The News and Observer, dated 13th December 1942)
Note: The 530th Fighter Sqn nickname “Yellow Scorpions” was adopted when members of the Sqn heard a Japanese broadcast reporting that it was coming over to “Annihilate the 'Yellow Scorpion' squadron" but initially no one knew which outfit this was. When the Japanese next broadcasted the same threat it included the Sqns location.
REASON FOR LOSS:
The loss of 2nd Lt. Briggs Jr. and his P-51A was described in a statement by 2nd Lt. Robert Frank Mulhollem O-666425:
“We were returning from an escort mission over the Rangoon area, and we were pursued by enemy fighters at approximately 12,000 feet, 25 miles west of Rangoon, 1320 hrs, 27th November 1943. When I saw Lt. Briggs, a Zero was on his tail at close range, and I observed his right flap flying off. I did not see him crash”.
Note: 2nd Lt. Robert F. Mulhollem was credited with destroying five (5) Japanese aircraft in aerial combat.
It is believed that 2nd Lt. Briggs Jr. baled out of the aircraft and he was subsequently captured by the Japanese and was incarcerated at the Burma #5 camp known as the New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma.
2nd Lt. Briggs Jr. died (Declared dead (DED) on the 28th December 1944) of dysentery, beri beri and scabies whilst being held as a PoW. A British Military Court convened in Rangoon, Burma between the 6th and 19th June 1946 determined that his death was deemed to be a war crime.
Four (4) members of the Imperial Japanese Army were charged with committing a war crime in that they, at the New Law Courts Jail Annex, Rangoon, Burma, between the 1st March 1944 and 1st May 1945 when members of the Staff of the Jail and were responsible for the well-being of the prisoners in custody there, in violation of the laws and usages of war, were together concerned as parties to the ill-treatment resulting in the deaths of seventeen (17) and other American PoW, and physical suffering to other American PoW in custody at the jail.
The four (4) accused were:
Captain (Rikugun-tai-i) TAZUMI Motozo;
1st Lieutenant (Rikugun-Chūi) ONISHI Akio;
Sergeant Major (Rikugun-Sōchō) UENO Kiyoshi;
Superior Private (Rikugun-Jōtō-Hei) UENO Koigetsu.
Note: the Japanese word Rikugun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the army.
Capt. TAZUMI was the Commanding Officer (CO) of the Futo Buntai prison, also known as the New Law Courts Jail Annex, from 15th March 1944 until May 1944. Lt. ONISHI was the Medical Officer (MO) at the Jail from the 4th May 1944 to the 15th April 1945.
Sgt Maj. UENO was the Quartermaster in change of purchasing food and drawing rations for the entire personnel for the Jail from March 1944 until the evacuation on or about the 25th April 1945.
Sup Pvt. UENO was a member of the guard at the Jail from the 25th April 1943 to 10th October 1944.
During the period April 1943 to May 1945 approximately one-hundred (100) American PoWs were incarcerated in the Annex where they were kept in confinement under harsh and oppressive regulations without proper or adequate food, covering, sanitation facilities and medical attention. During this time the PoWs were subjected to brutal beatings and maltreatment by members of the staff of the jail and in particular by Sup Pvt. UENO.
The treatment of the PoWs directly contributed the deaths of the following seventeen (17) named Americans, and other PoWs:
Sgt. Norman E. Albinson, Sgt. John E. Leisure, Cpl. Julius F. Yackie, T/Sgt. Charles A. Pittard, S/Sgt. Jack R. Sheets, 1st Lt. Robert D. Drummey, 1st Lt. Burdette C. Goodrich, Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer, 2nd Lt. Joseph G. Rich, 2nd Lt. Burdette H. Baker, 1st Lt. James M. Grey, S/Sgt. Frank Rodriguez, Capt. Wayne R. Westberg, 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr., 1st Lt. Paul E. Almand, WO. Gene Gambale, Sgt. J. Brown. (No corroborated information for a US airman by this name has been found).
The court found TAZUMI guilty of the charge except in the case of the deaths of the seventeen (17) named Americans and other PoWs.
ONISHI was found guilty of the ill-treatment resulting in the death of 1st Lt. Robert D. Drummey and contributing to the deaths of Sgt. Norman E. Albinson, 1st Lt. Burdette C. Goodrich, Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer, 2nd Lt. Joseph G. Rich, 2nd Lt. Burdette H. Baker, 1st Lt. James M. Grey, S/Sgt. Frank Rodriguez, 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr., 1st Lt. Paul E. Almand and Sgt. J. Brown.
Sgt Maj. UENO and Sup Pvt. UENO were found guilty of the charge except in the case of the deaths of the seventeen (17) named Americans and other PoWs.
The court sentenced TAZUMI, UENO Kiyoshi and UENO Koigetsu to 7 years, 3 years and 15 years imprisonment respectively.
ONISHI was sentence to death, however, upon review on the 14th March 1947 the sentence of death was commuted to imprisonment for life.
The remains of 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr. were recovered on the 5th May 1946 from the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery by the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS). On the 17th May 1946 their remains were loaded aboard C-47B 43-48308 of the 1304th AAF Base Unit to be transported from Mingaladon in Rangoon to Barrackpore in India. The aircraft failed to arrive at the ETA and despite an extensive air search no trace of any wreckage on land or sea was found and the aircraft, crew, passengers and the remains of this airmen along with another thirty-seven (37) are still missing to this day.
Burial Details
Above: 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr., Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
2nd Lt. Everitt Edward Briggs Jr. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 10th August 1920 in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. Son of Everitt Edward and Annie (née Grist) Briggs of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. Husband to Betty Ellington (née Whyte) Briggs of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this Pilot and his family (Jan 2025).
Other sources listed below:
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
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