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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: 43-6296
Code: Unknown
Base: Kurmitola, India
Location: 40 miles west of Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar)
Pilot: 1st Lt. James Milton Grey O-665192 AAF Age 22. PoW */DED**/MiA
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)
** DED = Declared dead
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 1st Lt. Grey and his P-51A was described in a statement by Capt. Sidney M. Newcomb O-660586:
"We were about 10 minutes from the target (Rangoon) on a homeward course and Lt. Grey was on my left wing about 75 yards distant at approximately 1530 hours, 27 November 1943. I spotted a Zero fighter near the element on the right, and made an abrupt turn to intercept the enemy fighter. I did not see Lt. Grey’s aircraft after my turn, but a short time later, I heard Lt. Grey say over the radio, "Come on, Emery, let’s go home - I'm on the trees." Lt. Emery was on the mission with us. This is apparently the last seen or heard of Lt. Grey".
Note: Capt. John F. Emery O-665185 was KiA on the 9th July 1944 when his P-51A 43-6282 was shot down by a Japanese fighter south of Sahmaw, Burma (Myanmar).
It is believed that 1st Lt. Grey baled out of the aircraft and suffered severe burns. He was subsequently captured by the Japanese and was incarcerated at the Burma #5 camp known as the New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma.
1st Lt. Grey died (Declared dead (DED) on the 12th August 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.
Newspaper clipping reporting the death of 1st Lt. Grey (Courtesy of The Sheboygan Press, dated 18th June 1945)
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. James M. Grey 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: 1st Lt. James M. Grey Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
1st Lt. James Milton Grey. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 31st December 1921 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Son of the Rev. Ira Milton and Grace Gertrude (née Brown) Grey of Wisconsin. Husband to Laurene (née Atkinson) Grey of Waupaca, Wisconsin, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this Pilot and this family (Jan 2025).
Other sources listed below:
RS 18.01.2025 - Initial Upload
RS 18.01.2025 - Initial Upload
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