• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Operation: Bombing mission against Rabaul, New Britain
Date: 24th May 1942 (Sunday)
Unit No: 408th Bombardment Squadron (H), 22nd Bombardment Group (H), 5th Air Force
Type: B-26 Imogene VII
Serial: 40-1474
Code: H
Base: 7 Mile Drome (Jackson Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea
Location: 1 mile offshore from Wide Bay, East New Britain
Pilot: 1st Lt. Harold Lloyd Massie SSM, SM, O-421276 AAF Age 22. PoW/MiA (2)
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Eugene Dye ‘Gene’ Wallace SSM, SM, O-431910 AAF Age 22. Rescued (1 & 3)
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Marvin Crawford Hughes SSM, SM, O-434899 AAF Age 22. Rescued (1)
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Arthur Christere ‘Art’ King SSM, SM, O-432982 AAF Age 27. PoW/MiA (2)
Engineer: Sgt. Stanley A. Wolenski, SSM, 6909325 AAF Age 22. MiA
Radio Operator: Pfc. Dale Edwin Bordner SSM, SM, 15017025 AAF Age 22. Rescued (1)
Gunner: Cpl. Joseph Charles Dukes SSM, 33129192 AAF Age 22. MiA
Photographer: S/Sgt. Jack B. Swan SSM, 6976748 AAF Age 22. Died
Above left to right: 2nd Lt. Arthur C. King (Courtesy of The Kansas City Star, dated 3rd May 1943); Sgt. Stanley A. Wolenski (Courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer, dated 2nd May 1943); S/Sgt. Jack B. Swan (Courtesy of the Elmira Star Gazette, dated 8th June 1942)
REASON FOR LOSS:
On the morning on the 24th May 1942 B-26 Imogene VII took-off from 7 Mile Drome (Jackson Drome) near Port Moresby, New Guinea and joined a bombing mission against Rabaul. This was 1st Lt. Massie's first combat mission and only the 2nd for 2nd Lt. Wallace.
Inbound the formation encountered an overcast but found a hole in the weather. They descended to an altitude of 1,500 ft over the target area and made a low level bombing run over the Vunakanau Airfield. During the bombing run Anti-Aircraft (AA) fire exploded behind the right engine which was feathered. One member of the crew was injured, but not seriously, and the plane began losing altitude.
As far as the eye could see there was no strip of white sand and no level spot for an emergency landing. The pilot passed the word that they would have to ditch the aircraft and he then put the B-26 down about (one) 1 mile offshore of Wide Pay, east New Britain.
Only six of the crew managed to escape the sinking aircraft, Sgt. Wolenski and Cpl. Dukes lost their lives. The dazed, bruised and injured survivors began the long swim to the beach. Fortunately, a native canoe picked them up after they had only covered ¾ of a mile and carried them to shore.
Once ashore they took stock of their situation, the entire island of New Britain was held by the Japanese, they had no weapons of any kind, some money, and assorted injuries.
Pfc. Bordner suffered a deep cut to a leg and a broken bone in a foot. 2nd Lt. Hughes had a broken leg and a shrapnel wound in his side. 2nd Lt. Wallace chipped his teeth in the crash and had several painful bruises. S/Sgt. Swan had a broken shoulder. 1st Lt. Massie and 2nd Lt. King were in relatively good shape.
The natives who were aiding them became increasing concerned that the Japanese would inevitably hear about them since the “jungle grapevine” spread even the most inconsequential of island’s gossip.
About six (6) weeks after their ditching a native arrived carrying a note from a German missionary, who was living close by, which warned them that the Japanese were on their way to capture them and they had no alternative but to leave. However, after the time 2nd Lt. Hughes and Pfc. Bordner had spent in bed recovering from their broken bones they were weak and could hardly stand due to muscle wastage.
None of them had shoes and the burlap wrapping they used to cover their feet were discarded a few miles after walking on the wet sand. After covering hundred (100) miles and foraging for food and water they could not go any further. By this time 2nd Lt. Hughes and S/Sgt. Swan had developed a high fever and were racked in pain from malaria which made it imperative to find medicine for them.
Natives reluctantly helped them and told them of a missionary a short distance away who could help. 1st Lt. Massie and 2nd Lt. King set out to find the missionary but after five (5) days had not returned (see Ser. 2).
The natives then told them that they had to leave as there was not enough food. The three of them managed to carry S/Sgt. Swan to the next village. They had no word from 1st Lt. Massie and 2nd Lt. King so they decided the only thing to do was for two of them to head for the beach, which the natives said was just a ½ days walk.
2nd Lt. Hughes and Pfc. Bordner set out but it took them four (4) days to finally reached the village on the beach. By this time their bare feet were swollen and bloody, their faces puffed and lumpy from insect bites and both were suffering from fresh debilitating attacks of malaria. Before collapsing they arranged to send help and medicine to the other two in the interior.
They stayed in the village for a week resting and regaining their strength and shared the meagre diet of the villagers. Whilst there word reached them the 1st Lt. Massie and 2nd Lt. King had been captured by the Japanese. 2nd Lt. Wallace who had stayed with S/Sgt. Swan suddenly appeared at the village suffering from malaria.
With his arrival the village chief told the three that they could only support one of them and two would have to leave. 2nd Lt. Wallace who was the weakest remained there temporarily and the other two went back to look after S/Sgt. Swan. Sadly he succumbed to fever and malaria and they then presided over the sad rites of his burial.
The two left and finally reached a village in the interior which showed some signs of comparative tolerance. By now they became convinced that, barring the prospect of capture by Japanese patrols, they would have to sit out the war on the island and the time had come to put an end to their wanderings.
One day a native bearer arrived carrying a message from an Australian soldier who had been dodging the Japanese for fourteen (14) months. He was living on the beach, had a gun and fishing tackle, and was busy building a canoe with which to escape to New Guinea. He would welcome their company if they cared to join him. They lost no time in accepting the invitation and when they arrived at the village they were reunited with 2nd Lt. Wallace (see Ser. 1).
The entire crew were awarded the Silver Star Medal (SSM). Available records also shown that all bar three of the crew were also awarded the Soldier’s Medal (SM), however, as the medal records are not complete it is possible that this award was also conferred on the other three.
Silver Star Medal (SSM) - The Silver Star Medal is awarded for gallantry, so long as the action does not justify the award of one of the next higher valour awards: the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the Navy Cross (NC), the Air Force Cross (AFC).
Above:(Courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer, dated 8th August 1943)
Soldier’s Medal (SM) - The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, including Reserve Component soldiers not serving in a duty status at the time of the heroic act, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving conflict with an enemy.
(1) Leslie John Stokie served a brief spell with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at Rabaul, New Britain. He then enlisted as a Pte. in the Australian Citizen Military Forces and served with the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (NGVR) and was allocated the Army Service No. of NG239.
Above: Pte. Leslie John Stokie from his Service Record
He was stationed at Rabaul when on the 23rd January 1942, 15,000 Japanese attacked and overwhelmed the 1400 Australian defenders, the majority of whom were either killed or were captured.
Pte. Stokie was amongst those who managed to escape into the interior. The truck he was aboard became stuck in the sand and the Officer in charge ordered the men to disperse and make their own way. He set out for a plantation that he knew and enroute he came across three (3) of his unit’s trucks also stuck in the sand. He disabled the ignition on all three and whilst setting alight to a second truck a Japanese patrol appeared on the scene. He attacked them with a Mills Bomb (Hand Grenade) and then escaped to safety.
Over the next months he kept ahead of the Japanese despite some close calls and them sending messages via natives to surrender. In July that year he decided that the war would continue for the foreseeable future so had some of the plantation boys who he had befriended build a canoe so they could escape to New Guinea. However, one of his boys became very ill and nearly died which delayed the build of the canoe. In October 1942 he learned that there were four (4) American airmen up in the hills so he tried to get in touch with them.
About this time the Japanese became very busy over the island and he had to be careful. However, he managed to establish contact with the Americans and told them that he was planning to go to New Guinea as soon as the seasonal weather permitted the crossing and asked them if they would care to join him. They readily agreed so he sent for them and found when they arrived that they were in a bad state with two having to be carried into his camp.
Over the next few months they recovered and regained their strength. In the meantime Pte. Stokie sent his native companions to scout the Japanese camps in the surrounding areas to determine what was happening.
Occasionally a US bomber would fly over the village apparently on reconnaissance. On each occasion one of the group used Pte. Stokie’s shaving mirror to flash the sun’s rays toward the aircraft. Thinking their efforts were entirely unsuccessful they borrowed a larger mirror from the headman of the village. Unbeknown to them the flashes had been interpreted as flashes of Japanese AA guns.
On the 6th March 1943 at about 10:30 hrs a B-24 Liberator flew low over the water in front of the village. Pte. Stokie used the mirror to flash the sun’s rays toward the bomber which was seen by the bomber’s tail gunner who informed his pilot.
The aircraft circled back for a closer look and he used the mirror again with the three (3) Americans joining him by waving Lap-Laps (Waistcloth or Loincloth). On a 3rd pass 2nd Lt. Wallace and Pfc. Bordner launched a canoe, hoping to make themselves more obvious. As the aircraft skimmed over the water at no more than 50 ft, 2nd Lt. Wallace stood up and wildly waved a Lap-Lap. The aircraft then turned away and flew off over the horizon.
The next day another B-24 Liberator flew low over the village and on its 3rd run over the water a bright orange streamer floated down. 2nd Lt. Hughes leaped into a canoe, retrieved the streamer and extracted a soggy message with the following:
“Write your name and organisation in the sand”.
2nd Lt. Wallace grabbed a hoe from one of the natives and scratched yard-high characters on the beach. For good measure he hurried to the huts and gathered up all the Lap-Laps he could find and with 2nd Lt. Hughes and Pfc. Bordner rolled the cloths, so that they formed the Bomb Group number in the sand.
A few seconds after the message was completed the plane re-appeared, circled over the beach and then swept low behind the village just over the treetops. This time it dropped a large canvas container by parachute which floated slowly down into the jungle. 2nd Lt. Hughes and Pfc. Bordner retrieved it from the bush and emptied out food, 1,000 tablets of atabrine (Antimalarial drug), cigarettes, matches, a gallon of black paint, a brush and some 4ft x 7ft sheets of white cloth. In an envelope the following message was written:
“Write the ranking man's serial number on the cloth as illustrated below to be exposed on the beach and be photographed by friendly aircraft whenever it may returned. Good luck Roger and Gideon”.
2nd Lt. Hughes and Pfc. Bordner spread out the sheets and 2nd Lt. Wallace carefully painted his serial number on them. They finished just as the aircraft was making its next run but they could not get the sheets laid out in proper order in time and aircraft flew away. They covered the sheets with coconut fronds and spent every daylight hour on the beach until on the 17th March a B-17 roared into sight. As it neared the beach 2nd Lt. Hughes raced for the sheets and uncovered them. The aircraft made four (4) runs and flew so low that the watchers on the beach could see a camera poking out before it flew away.
Three (3) days later a B-24 Liberator appeared and on its second pass it dropped a black bundle by parachute. It contained two flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries, and a note which instructed them to:
“Remain on the beach every night hereafter. A Catalina will buzz you, but will not land until you have further identified yourselves by the following means.” (It included instructions for an elaborate secret code of flashes). “Remain on the beach with canoes ready. After the plane lands, repeat the signal. Then row out to the plane in canoes with masts and approach from the rear of the Cat. The natives will be rewarded with knives and tomahawks. Good luck”.
For the next few nights they each stood 2-hour watches. During the second and third nights of their vigil a motor boat chugged past the village several times which the natives recognised as a Japanese patrol boat.
At 01:15 hrs on the morning of the 25th March the faint drone of an aircraft was heard. The aircraft circled the area repeatedly and finally soared over the village. As it came round the next time Pfc. Bordner flashed his light. The big plane circled back, flew low and parallel to the shore-line. This time it dropped a dozen float flares in a straight line and circled back to make its landing.
When the Catalina settled on the water and taxied back to the beginning of the flare path they launched their canoe and began paddling. They were worried about the Japanese some 64 miles back in Rabaul and after 15 mins of hard paddling they finally pulled up to the opened side blister. Three (3) members of the 11 Sqn, RAAF Catalina serial A24-17, flown by Sqn Ldr. Reginald B. Burrage 2142 RAAF , stood inside training sub-machine guns on them.
Above: 11 Sqn RAAF PBY Catalina, A24-17, code letter 'H', on the surface in New Guinea waters during WW2. On the left forward fuselage is a nose art depicting the popular Disney character Donald Duck throwing bombs. (Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial)
On the 27th June 1942, A24-17 was mistakenly attacked by a US Navy F4F 'Wildcat' fighter whilst returning to Havannah Harbour seaplane base in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). The US Navy pilot mistook the RAAF upper wing roundels (Blue and Red) for a Japanese Hinomaru (Red Circle). The Catalina was damaged but the crew were not injured. This incident was a key part of the decision to change RAAF markings in the Pacific theatre of operations to not include any Red within the roundels. Post-war the roundels returned to the traditional Red, White and Blue.
2nd Lt. Wallace, 2nd Lt. Hughes, Pfc. Bordner and Pte. Stokie with three (3) of the natives who had been his faithful companions for months climbed aboard. Soon the Catalina was in the air and quickly the dotted line of float flares melted into the distance.
Some six (6) hours later they were circling over Port Moresby's harbour. Over the landing area the gunners pitched out two rolls of toilet paper, the unfurling rolls was the pre-arranged signal of a successful mission, and the Catalina safely landed at 06:55 hrs.
Above: RAAF Catalina A24-17 flying boat piloted by Sqn Ldr. Reginald Burrage making the landing at Port Moresby after rescuing the four men from their jungle hideout. (Official photograph from the Evaluation Unit, AAF. Photographed by the 5th Combat Camera Unit)
Above: Three rescued American flyers just landing at Moresby after being picked up by RAAF flying boat. Left to right: Pfc. Dale E. Bordner, Radio Operator, 2nd Lt. Marvin C. Hughes, Navigator, and 2nd Lt. Eugene Wallace, co-pilot. (Official photograph from the Evaluation Unit, AAF. Photographed by the 5th Combat Camera Unit).
Above: Rescued Americans in flying boat and RAAF skipper of Flying boat. Left to right: 2nd Lt. Eugene Wallace, Co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Marvin C. Hughes, Navigator and Sqn Ldr. Reginald Burrage, Pilot, RAAF. (Official photograph from the Evaluation Unit, AAF. Photographed by the 5th Combat Camera Unit)
Above: Three American airmen and the Australian in a picture made on board the Australian Flying Boat. They are left to right, Pfc. Dale E. Bordner, 2nd Lt. Marvin C. Hughes, 2nd Lt. Eugene Wallace and Pte. John Stokie. (Official photograph from the Evaluation Unit, AAF. Photographed by the 5th Combat Camera Unit).
Over the next several days they had the “deceased” notations from their Squadron records removed, had the Purple Heart (PH) pinned to their chests by General Whitehead and also were generally feted in officers’ clubs by their colleagues. After which the three (3) Americans were ready to return to their homes to recuperate.
At an informal presentation of the Purple Heart to the three airmen on the 26th March 1943 by Brig. General Ennis C. Whitehead. Left to right: Brig Gen. Ennis C. Whitehead, Pfc. Dale E. Border, 2nd Lt. Eugene Wallace, 2nd Lt. Marvin D. Hughes, Col. Dwight Divine, Deputy Chief of Staff, Advanced Echelon, 5th Air Force, at Fort Moresby, New Guinea where this photo was taken. (Official Photograph)
When they shook hands with their friend John Stokie he said to them “Don’t worry, I'll see you again. I have lived in the jungle for 16 years. It draws you like a magnet. You will be back.” The three chorused “Oh, yeah?” and boarded a plane for home.
Leslie J. Stokie was appointed to a commission in the Australian Citizen Military Forces on the 12th August 1943. On the 22nd February 1945 he was seconded to the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and allotted the Army Number NGX450.
The Military Cross (MC) was awarded to Capt. Leslie J. Stokie NGX450 who served with the "M" Special Unit.
"M" Special Unit, was a joint Allied special reconnaissance (special operations capable) unit, part of the Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), in the South West Pacific theatre of WW2. A joint Australian, New Zealand, Dutch and British military intelligence unit, it saw action in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands between 1943–1945, against the Empire of Japan.
"Confirmation of the abovementioned Award by His Majesty the King has been received by message from Secretary Prime Minister’s Department to the Department of the Army.”
Citation: “For outstanding gallantry during the period September 1943 to May 1944 when, as leader of an Australian Infantry Battalion, he carried out intelligence duties and guerilla operations within enemy occupied territory on the south coast of New Britain.
After establishing air warning observation posts, this Officer instituted a deep laid scheme of reconnaissance and espionage, and harassed the enemy by guerilla sorties against their patrols, causing the disbandment of forces and large staging camps. He personally conducted the guerilla patrols against the enemy, causing casualties and disruptions of enemy forces which always outnumbered his own small force. A/Lt. STOKIE’S personal courage and vast knowledge of the natives contributed to the success of the coast-watching and guerilla operations in New Britain”.
Leslie John Stokie was born on the 12th September 1902 in Colac, Victoria. He was Plantation Inspector prior to enlisting in Rabaul, New Guinea during September 1941. Leslie J. Stokie passed away on the 10th November 1973 in Taree, New South Wales.
His brother Pte. James Albert Stokie VX27259 was captured by the Japanese in January 1942 on Ambon Island whilst serving with the 2nd/21st Australian Infantry Battalion. It was reported that he died of Beri Beri on the 29th March 1945 whilst being held by the Japanese as a PoW on Ambon.
(2) It was reported that 1st Lt. Massie and 2nd Lt. King had found the Mission Station but that it had already been overrun by the Japanese so they continued making their way down the island possibly thinking of escape and later aid for the others. They had walked some one-hundred (100) miles when hostile natives captured them and handed over to the Japanese. From native reports 2nd Lt. King put up a good fight but was overpowered and they were then taken to the Japanese Naval PoW camp at Rabaul.
Their names are not found in any official Japanese PoW lists or on the lists of PoWs that were lost in the sinking of two ships carrying prisoners. From RAAF records it is known that a US War Graves Search Party was on site at Rabaul in March 1947 but no investigation records have been found relating to their activities.
However, what is known is that after the Japanese surrender an investigation was carried out by a combined team from the Imperial War Graves Commission and the RAAF which uncovered thirty (30) bodies from a Japanese Naval execution ground near the Matupi volcano, Rabaul.
RAAF investigations found that a Rev. W. O'Connell had reported that Fg Off. MASON Leading Telegraphist WOODROFFE, together with four American aircrew members named PEACE [sic], CHIKOWSKY [sic], MASSEY [sic] and KING, were taken from the military prison camp at RABAUL on the 8th October 1942. It was alleged by the Japanese that they were taken to work on a new airfield but during the afternoon some of their clothing was returned to the prison camp. The full names and numbers of the four Americans were not known at that time.
Research has identified the named individuals as:
MASON and WOODROFFE were Fg Off. Cecil John Trevelyan Mason 263679 RAAF of 20 Squadron, RAAF and LT. Roy Woodroffe F329/10 Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) of HMAS Brisbane who captured on the 24th July 1942 behind Japanese lines on Anir Island.
Above: Leading Telegraphist Roy Woodroffe, RANVR
LT. Woodroffe was a coastwatcher and Fg Off. Mason had volunteered to be inserted into enemy territory by submarine to attempt a rescue of LT. Woodroffe. They were surprised by a Japanese patrol and LT. Woodroffe was captured, however Fg Off. Mason managed to escape into the jungle but was later captured by the same patrol. They were seen by a native, tied hand and foot and carried aboard a Japanese schooner together with all their gear including the wireless equipment.
Above: Fg Off. Cecil John Trevelyan Mason, RAAF
Fg Off. Mason had previously undertaken a similar mission on two occasions to rescue two (2) other coastwatchers, Lt. Alan Fairlie ‘Bill’ Kyle RANVR and Sub-Lt. Gregory Wade Benham RANVR but they chose to continue with their mission. Both were captured and executed by the Japanese on the 1st September 1942;
PEACE [sic] and CHIKOWSKY [sic] were Capt. Harl Pease Jr. O-395206 USAAF and Sgt. Chester M. Czechowski who were the Pilot and a Gunner respectively from the 93rd Bombardment Squadron (H) B-17E 41-2439 ‘Why Don’t We Do This More Often’ which was shot down on the 7th August 1942 over New Britain;
MASSEY [sic] and KING were 1st Lt. Harold Lloyd Massie USAAF and 2nd Lt. Arthur Christere King O-432982 USAAF who were the Pilot and Bombardier respectively from this aircraft.
After hostilities had ceased an RAAF location party was led to by natives from Maturi Island to graves which were situated in the vicinity of the Japanese Cemetery at Matupi. They appeared to have been buried in several trenches. A huge bomb crater was alongside the graves and the natives stated that there was more graves there before the bombing, but that the bomb had blown them up. Recovery work was carried out until satisfied that no further remains were in the vicinity.
In one of the mass graves remains of twenty-four (24) bodies were recovered. The following were tentatively identified as:
LT. Roy Woodroffe RANVR who was wearing a gold ring inscribed 'R’ and who was known to have been wearing such a ring at the time of his capture. The identification of Woodroffe's body makes it probable that Fg Off. Cecil John Trevelyan Mason 263679 RAAF and four (4) other Americans who were last seen with Woodroffe at Rabaul were also buried in the mass grave;
A body from this mass grave was found with the Identity Discs (ID) for 2nd Lt. Henry Arthur Keel O-404018 who was the pilot of 13th Bombardment Squadron (L), B-25C 41-12462 which was shot down on the 23rd May 1942 Salamaua, New Britain.
Note: In April 1948 the No.2 Australian War Crimes Section and the American Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) Legal Section agreed that all crimes in Australian New Guinea that were not complete would be handled by the Australians, whether Australians or Americans were victims.
The investigation team were of the opinion, in light of the discoveries that were made, that the total number of prisoners murdered at Matupi over the whole period must have been at least one-hundred (100) and likely to be many more.
With one exception none of the Japanese directly responsible for the murders of Allied airmen in this area were brought to trial. These known criminals can be divided into various classes:
Died or killed in action before end of war;
Committed suicide to avoid arrest, e.g. Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) FUJITA who was responsible for the murder of Flt Lt. William Ellis Newton VC, 250748 RAAF and Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) KIYAMA who was responsible for some of the murders at RABAUL;
Because of the cunning with which the Japanese had covered their tracks sufficient evidence had not been obtained when investigations closed;
Criminals that were still alive and at large against whom sufficient evidence of guilt had been obtained.
(3) Eugene Dye Wallace was born on the 17th July 1919 in Toppenish, Washington. He served in Korea and Vietnam and retired from the USAF as a Colonel (Col). Eugene died on the 4th May 2014 in Laguna Beach, California.
Tragically, his two sons, Kendall Eugene and Scott Alan predeceased him.
Navigator, 1st Lt. Kendall E. Wallace was on a low altitude training flight in Colorado when his B-52 crashed killing all eight members of the crew.
Above: Reporting of the crash (Courtesy of the Redland Daily Facts, dated 30th October 1981)
Three weeks later his younger brother Scott Alan Wallace died in an off-road motorcycle accident.
Burial details:
Above: Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing for 1st Lt. Harold Lloyd Massie (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
1st Lt. Harold Lloyd Massie. SSM, SM, Purple Heart (PH). Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born in 1920 in Toledo, Cumberland County, Illinois. Son of Clemmie Coleman and Alice (née Williby) Massie. Husband to Dorothy Jean (née Ware) Massie of Greenup, Cumberland County, Illinois, USA.
Above: Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing for 2nd Lt. Arthur C. King (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
2nd Lt. Arthur Christere ‘Art’ King. SSM, SM, Purple Heart (PH). Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 3rd December 1914 in New York City, New York. Son of James King. Husband to Sue Radabaugh King of Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Above: Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing for Sgt. Stanley A. Wolenski. (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
Sgt. Stanley A. Wolenski. SSM, Purple Heart (PH). Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 8th December 1919 in Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania. Son on Frank and Bertha (née Cwalina) Wolenski of Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA.
Above: Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing for Pfc. Joseph Charles Dukes (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
Cpl. Joseph Charles Dukes. SSM, Purple Heart (PH). Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 26th January 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Son of Daniel T. (deceased in Aug 1929) and Mary D. (née Collins) Duke of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Above: Marker for S/Sgt. Jack B. Swan. (Courtesy of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific)
S/Sgt. Jack B. Swan. SSM, Purple Heart (PH). His remains were recovered and interred at the Honolulu Cemetery (Punchbowl), Section P, Grave 621 on the 15th December 1949. Born on the 6th February 1920 in Elmira, Chemung, New York. Son of Lawrence B. and Nina M. (née Macafee) Swan of Elmira, Chemung, New York, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Dec 2024). Reviewed and war crime section updated (Dec 2024).
Other sources listed below:
RS 28.12.2024 - Reviewed and updated
RS 15.12.2024 - Initial upload
RS 28.12.2024 - Reviewed and updated
Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.