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Operation: Nawnghkio Airbase, Burma (Myanmar)
Date: 17th October 1944 (Tuesday)
Unit No: 490th Bombardment Squadron (M), 341st Bombardment Group (M), 10th Air Force
Type: B-25H
Serial No: 43-4905
Code: Unknown
Base: Jorhat (APO #466), India
Location: Vicinity of Nawnghkio Airbase, Burma (Myanmar)
Pilot: 1st Lt. Robert David Drummey O-815670 AAF Age 23. PoW */DED**/MiA (1)
Bombardier/ Navigator: 1st Lt. Franklin J. Stom O-685137 AAF Age 21. PoW*/DED**/MiA (2)
Engineer Gunner: Pvt. Michael Francis Foley 32382310 AAF Age 24. PoW * (3)
Radio Gunner: Sgt. James Syette Nara 33165016 AAF Age 24. KiA
Armament Gunner: S/Sgt. John Andrews 39612333 AAF Age 29. KiA
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)
** DED = Declared dead
REASON FOR LOSS:
A statement provided by 1st Lt. Harry A. Fisher O-750362 described the mission and the loss of B-25H 43-4905:
“I was leading a flight of three (3) B-25s on the 1th7 October 1944. The weather was bad but both wing men were able to keep in formation. When we were approximately 5 minutes (at 16:18 hrs) from target, we went through a cloud encountering mild turbulence. We were in the cloud approximately 20 seconds. When I came out of the cloud my right wing man was missing. Sky coverage was around 8 tenths coverage of cumulus cloud. We proceeded on bomb run. Around 15 minutes (15:40) from target the right wing man contacted me on the radio. I told him we were on our way home and if he still had his bombs to drop them at the last resort target. He replied OK, about five minutes later I tried to contact him again but was unsuccessful”.
On the 19th October one (1) B-25 and eight (8) P-47s were dispatched on a search mission without any known results.
Later information confirmed that three (3) of the crew were captured and became PoWs whilst Sgt. Nara and S/Sgt. Andrews were KiA.
(1) 1st Lt. Drummey died (Declared dead (DED) on the 12th January 1945) whilst being held as a PoW at the Burma #5 camp known as the New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma. 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, FO. 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 1st Lt. Robert D. Drummey were recovered on the 5th May 1946 from the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery by the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS). On the 17th May 1946 his 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.
(2) 1st Lt. Stom died (Declared dead (DED) on the 30th November 1944) whilst being held as a PoW at the Burma #5 camp. It was reported that his death was as result of contracting Malaria.
Above 1st Lt. Franklin J. Stom’s death reported in an Indiana Newspaper (Courtesy of The Times, dated 9th September 1945)
(3) Pvt. Michael Francis and his three (3) brothers and a sister all served in the US military.
Above Article describing the service of the Foley siblings (Courtesy of The Ithaca Journal, dated 11th May 1945)
Burial Details
Above: 1st Lt. Robert David Drummey, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
1st Lt. Robert David Drummey. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 16th November 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts. Son of Christopher Anthony and Florence M. Drummey of East Braintree, Massachusetts, USA.
Above: 1st Lt. Franklin J. Stom, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
1st Lt. Franklin J. Stom. Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 2nd May 1923 in Lake, Indiana. Son of Eva M. Stom of Gary, Indiana, USA.
Sgt. James Syette Nara. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Sylvania Heights Memorial Cemetery, Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Born on the 13th May 1920 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Son of George H. and Ruth Helen Nara of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, USA.
S/Sgt. John Andrews. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Hillside cemetery, Dodson, Montana. Born on the 13th October 1914 in Malta, Montana. Son of Henry and Sophia (née Suskawich) Andrews. Husband of Helen Andrews of East Missoula, Montana, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this crew and their families (Jan 2025).
Other sources listed below:
RS 18.01.2025 - Initial Upload
RS 18.01.2025 - Initial Upload
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