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Operation: Insein, Burma (Myanmar)
Date: 27th November 1943 (Saturday)
Unit No: 374th Bombardment Squadron (H), 308th Bombardment Group (H), 14th Air Force
Type: B-24J
Serial No: 42-73312
Code: Unknown
Base: Panagrarh, India
Location: Last seen 18 miles SE of Andrew Bay, West Burma
Pilot: 2nd Lt. Newton Jack Kellam O-802926 AAF Age 22. PoW *
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Fred Kirby Schwall O-684782 AAF Age 22. PoW *
Navigator: 2nd Lt. John Dominik Marcello O-802655 AAF Age 25. PoW *
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. George Everett Harmon O-679464 AAF Age 24. PoW *
Engineer: S/Sgt. Perry Marshall 14156113 AAF Age 21. PoW *
Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Thomas Eugene Seneff 33290016 AAF Age 23. PoW * (1)
Asst. Engineer: Sgt. Charles William Perry 14156141 AAF Age 21. PoW *
Asst. Radio Op: Sgt. Norman Edward Albinson 13176804 AAF Age 21. PoW */DED **/MiA (2)
Armorer Gnr: Sgt. William Harold Thomas 17175086 AAF Age 24. PoW *
Armorer Gnr: Sgt. Donald Zane ‘Don’ Davis 17162249 AAF Age 19. PoW *
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)
** DED = Declared dead
REASON FOR LOSS:
On the 27th November 1943 the squadron took off from Panagrarh in India on a mission to bomb targets at Insein, which is in the northern suburbs of Rangoon (Yangon) in Burma (Myanmar).
T/Sgt. Terry L. Humphies, 14025100, the Engineer from the aircraft #329, made the following eyewitness statement regard the circumstances leading to the aircraft’s failure to return to base:
"I saw B-24J 42-73312 peel off and drop its landing gear at the same time as our flight leader Lt. Curtis did. He then pulled his gear back up and came back up into formation on our right wing.
He was about 40 minutes from the target when he again peeled off to the right and came back under our ship going to our left at about 20° to us. We had a heading of 140° at that time. His engines were all running OK and the ship seemed to be under complete control. I watched him about 300 yards out and he was keeping the same heading".
The aircraft was last seen at 12:03 hrs about 40 minutes from Insein when it left the formation and was observed to proceed In north-easterly direction into the interior of Burma. According to the coordinates as given by the Missing Air Crew Report, this happened approximately 130 miles NE of Insein and 18 miles SE of Andrew Bay, on the west coast of Southern Burma.
It was later established that the aircraft had experienced engine trouble and was force-landed with the entire crew surviving unhurt. The aircraft was largely intact and was camouflaged with branches and vegetation, likely by the Japanese or locals working under their direction, in an attempt to prevent the bomber from being spotted by Allied planes.
Japanese Army personnel investigated the aircraft and a camera crew took film footage of the bomber which was later aired in Nippon News newsreels. The film shows the bomber's top turret, tail turret, the fuselage with the US Star and bar insignia and a vertical tail with the number "273312" visible.
The entire crew was captured and eventually were incarcerated in the Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail) PoW camp.
(1) After S/Sgt. Thomas Eugene Seneff was liberated he returned to the United States and was discharged from the USAAF. He returned to his home state of Pennsylvania where he was employed in the construction industry.
Tragically on the 15th August 1969 he took his own life by a self inflicted gunshot wound to the neck in his bedroom at his home in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County. The coroner’s determination was that Thomas was suffering from severe depression.
Thomas Eugene Seneff was born on the 17th June 1920 in Irwin, Pennsylvania. His parents Ida May and Wilmer Agassey Seneff predeceased him in 1957 and 1958 respectively. He left seven siblings, two brothers and five sisters.
(2) Sgt. Albinson died (Declared dead (DED) on the 18th August 1944) 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, FO. Gene Gambale, Sgt. J. Brown. (No corroborated information for a US airman for this rank and 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 Sgt. Albinson were recovered 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 these five (5) airmen along with another thirty-seven (37) are still missing to this day.
Burial Details
Above: Sgt. Norman E. Albinson, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
Sgt. Norman Edward Albinson. Air Medal (AM). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 4th November 1922 in New Jersey. Son of Norman E. and Alice G. (née Hunter) Albinson of Camden, New Jersey, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this crew and their families (Jan 2025).
Other sources listed below:
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
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