Operation: Escort to B-25s attacking Vunakanau Airfield, New Britain

Date: 20th January 1944 (Thursday)

Unit No: Marine Fighting Squadron 321 (VMF-321), Marine Air Group 31 (MAG-31), Marine Air Wing 4 (MAW-4), USMC

Type: F4U-1 Corsair

Serial: #17914

Code: Unknown

Base: Torokina Airfield, Bougainville

Location: South of the St. George Channel, New Britain

Pilot: 1st Lt. Roger Hugh Brindos O-20325 USMCR Age 22. PoW */Murdered

* Tunnel Hill PoW Camp, Rabaul, New Britain

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 20th January 1944 at 11:25 hrs 1st Lt. Brindos took off from Torokina Airfield on Bougainville. He was flying one (1) of eleven (11) F4U-1 Corsairs from the squadron on a mission to escort B-25s attacking Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul.

1st Lt. Brindos was in the top cover division and whilst manoeuvring south of the St. George Channel he and another F4U-1 were not seen again. 1st Lt. Brindos was one (1) of three (3) pilots that failed to return after the mission. The other two were:

Maj. Marion R. McCown Jr. O-9610, who was flying F4U-1, #02402. The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in 1983 near Mount Varzin, south of Rabaul, and some remains were recovered;

Maj. McCown's remains have been recovered, identified and interred at a private cemetery in Charleston, SC. His name is permanently inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

1st Lt. Robert W. Marshall O-20355, flying F4U-1 #55835, who was seen by a pilot from VMF-211 leaving the target area and being hit by 20mm Anti-Aircraft fire as they passed over the Makurapou plantation. He made a water landing and the aircraft was seen to split in two and the pilot was not seen to exit the aircraft. He is posted as MiA and is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

It was later established that the top cover division was attacked by some forty-two (42) Zeros from the Japanese 204th Air Group. His Corsair was attacked by A6M Zeros and caught fire. He baled out and was captured by the Japanese and was taken to the 6th Field Kempie Tai Headquarters (HQ) compound at Rabaul.

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

It was claimed by the Japanese that 1st Lt. Brindos 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”.

Above: Official confirmation of the death of 1st Lt. Roger H. Brindos (Courtesy of The Duluth News Tribune, dated 28th March 1946)

Burial details:

1st Lt. Roger Hugh Brindos. Purple Heart with Gold Star (PH(GS)). Manila American Cemetery, Plot D, Row 4, Grave 259. Born on the 24th August 1921 in Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota. Son of Gordon Oscar and Nora (née Verbraken) Brindos of Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota. Husband of Patricia Mae (née Sullivan) Brindos of San Franciso, California, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the pilot and his relatives (Apr 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References:

1. 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